Light and Fantasy
by Royal blueKitsune
Summary: On the stage they are partners, beyond they could be so much more. Stories that center on the couple Sora and Leon...because together they could be so much better.
1. Angel and Devil

Since the last chapter brought good responses (desperate I'd say actually - my question again is why no one writes this pairing at all?) I've decided to update it faster. I really can't find inspiration for my other seven stories anyway for now.

Enjoy!

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**Warning:** Will contain spoilers for episode 51...so this is my view of what should've happened after the almost 'kiss' between Sora and Leon.

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**Angel and Devil**  
By **Royal blueKitsune**

She landed on the trampoline softly, eyes closed and arms outstretched to the side, her petite figure practically glowing in the white light. She was really beautiful...at least that's what Leon thought.

The role had been created for her, that much was obvious. And he was just the partner to accompany her...

Everything had gone according to plan up to now and he truly hoped that nothing went wrong anytime soon.

Following her queue, Sora started jumping just as the large doors behind her opened slowly, mechanically, letting the morning air invade the stage. It was still dark outside but no one was paying any attention to it anyway. All eyes, including those of the Kaleido Star artists- were trained on the redhead girl as she prepared to amaze her audience.

The redhead jumped higher and higher, getting closer to where he was waiting for her. Tension ruled amongst all -audience and artists alike- but no one was more wired than Leon. This was it...the moment he had been waiting for all his life; the very reason that his sister had trained herself to no end.

The very reason she had died.

Sora concentrated all her powers in that last jump, knowing that after this there was no turning back. She was going to prove that she had what it took to achieve Angel's skill...she was going to make Leon and Layla proud.

She was going to prove Leon that she could do it.

Her eyes gleamed with determination and she jumped high, extending one hand to her silver-haired partner. Leon caught her effortlessly, propelling her even higher up in the air; for a split second Sora swore that she saw something strange glinting in his violet colored eyes. Something tender that hadn't been there before...something that made butterflies dance like crazy in her stomach.

The young woman soared high into the air; body poised gracefully in what reminded Leon of a swan. Pure white, delicate and unworldly beautiful.

And the sun came up from beneath the waves, stealing an exclamation of surprise from everyone's mouths. Golds and oranges mixed with blue to create rich violets, soft pinks and blazing whites that soon spread across the sky lighting it completely.

Beneath the bright light, Sora bloomed like a royal butterfly. She curled into herself and her costume dissolved into mere ribbons, revealing the white and gold ensemble she wore beneath it. A top and slip lined with golden threads and a translucent pair of silvery wings...a costume so beautiful in its simplicity that it stole his breath away.

The trapeze lowered beneath her and Sora used the opportunity to once more propel herself into a series of complicated pirouettes and turns before allowing herself to fall towards the crowd...and towards him. Leon spun on the trapeze and balanced her on his feet easily before throwing her yet again into the air and into the Kaleido Stage magic.

It was all magic. Just watching her turn, twist and spin in the air expertly, made his heat swell with an unknown feeling. He could almost see her spirit -the spirit of Sophie- guiding Sora onto her road...helping her reach the dream his sister had never managed to.

They danced around each other for what seemed like hours; a continuous dance where both maintained eye contact constantly. The audience was spellbound and everything was going according to plan...until they almost kissed.

If it was something Leon had expected, it had not been an almost kiss from an angel. He had not expected Sora to take advantage of their closeness and lean forward as if to place her lips upon his...and he hadn't certainly expected himself to respond to her innocent gesture so wantonly.

There was disappointment when she pulled back, oh yes. There was also confusion, of course. But the show had to continue...they had a duty to themselves and the public.

Leon watched in fascination as Sora's friends and all the artists soon joined their dance, each doing what they knew best. Even May...

'She has achieved it. A stage without conflicts...Sophie, your dream has finally come true.'

The show was success. It was obvious by the way the crowd cheered at the end, by the way they stood up and filled the Kaleido Stage with applause and praising.

As he held the petite starlet in his arms, as they stood bathed in lights in the middle of the stage, Leon had a sudden revelation...

* * *

The stage was quiet. The lights were turned off and the crowds had long cleared the space...leaving only her alone.

Sora swept her hand over a pole in an almost cherishing manner. Tonight she had finally proven -to herself and the others- that dreams could come true. The newly appointed Kaleido Star angled her neck so that she could see the trapeze she had preformed on only a few hours ago.

She had come here as simple girl with a dream. Everything had started bad: her luggage had been stolen, she had been mostly alone until she had met the girls, she had been forced to suffer the gossip of the others and mostly she had been forced to prove her efforts and abilities again and again.

It was almost strange...to find yourself suddenly on top of the world.

"I'm surprised to find you here Sora...I had thought you would be out with your friends celebrating."

In her surprise, Sora ended up tripping on her own two feet and almost colliding into the pole she had been admiring before. It was only thanks to Leon's fast reflexes that the young woman avoided the -quite- painful impact...of course that didn't dim the surprise of suddenly finding herself wrapped in his arms.

He looked so serious too, Sora thought taking a peek at her partner's grave expression. She couldn't really tell if he was angry with her for falling -like a clumsy twit- or simply just annoyed.

She almost blinked when he apologized softly and then set her down. He was looking at her strangely...with that same unnamable emotion she'd seen during the performance; the one that made the butterflies flutter in her stomach.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I'll be going now." Going? Where?

Sora latched onto Leon's arm, unwilling to let him go so easily. It was odd...she had never seen Leon look so wistful before. It was almost like he was sad. But for the life of her Sora couldn't understand how she could suddenly read him so well.

"No!" The redhead swallowed thickly and noticed that Leon was staring -quite intently- at their intertwined arms. Blushing, she pulled back. "I mean...please don't go? I would love to have some company."

Nervous smile. Pause. Start babbling like a complete idiot. "If you don't mind that is. I don't really want to stop you if you have anywhere else to go...I understand I mean. I know you must be a busy man and I'm sure you would like to be out celebrating after today's success."

Leon almost smiled. She looked so adorable all flustered like this. He raised an eyebrow, feeling an acute sense of amusement welling in his chest...Sora really didn't know when to stop did she?

"Sora..." She stopped abruptly, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "There's no one else I would rather be celebrating with now than you..._if you don't mind that is_."

Leon kept his voice deliberately smooth and calm, enjoying the three shades of red that suffused Sora's cheeks at his double hint. This was something he could actually grow to enjoy...

"You would?" Sora suddenly felt very self-conscious of herself. Here she was dressed in a simple pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt and Leon was looking as sharp and handsome as ever in his black suit. "Like to celebrate with me?"

And she was back to the babbling part.

'And that is not all I'd like to do. However, you might just keel with shock and I want you awake, aware and conscious if you don't mind.' The irony was not lost to him even as he used her words -again- against her. Pity she didn't know.

"So...what are we going to do?"

Her mind suddenly came to a screeching halt as the words sunk in. Leon focused on her, _rather intense_, and Sora swallowed nervously. Open mouth, insert foot. Had she just made an unintentional innuendo towards...something she'd rather not think of now or was he brain simply suffering from a hormonal overdose?

Actually, the question had seemed innocent enough...but, somehow, Sora's mind couldn't function past other possibilities. She was officially a pervert...Fool was rubbing of her. Sora almost groaned. And if that sentence wasn't perverse in its own way, she didn't know what was.

Bad thoughts. Bad!

"Now that you seem to have mentioned it." Uh-oh. Sora didn't think she liked his nonchalance too much. Actually it reminded her of a big cat...a sensuous, sexy, black panther with a body to kill. In more was than one.

_Bad!_ Down...

"You and I have something we can do right now. Call it a debt you owe me." Leon was almost nose-to-nose with her now; she could kiss him and call it an accident. Sora almost wanted to slap herself.

"Yes?" Was that her voice? When had she been backed into the pole? Why had the butterflies gone mad all of a sudden? The redhead girl wasn't even going to ask herself why her knees were trembling and her mouth had suddenly gone dry.

He regarded her for a few moments -a few tense moments- and then, out of nowhere really, leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Just like she'd tried to, during the show. Sora could swear that every bone in her body had suddenly turned into a pile of mush. Her first kiss...

Leon was everything she had dreamed of, everything she had ever wanted of her first crush...her first love. He was gentle yet he kissed her with such fervor and passion that she could swear she was going to fall apart at any given moment. He was sweet, coaxing her to give her all into this one kiss and she was more than glad to comply.

It was only too soon before they broke the kiss, arms wrapped around each other and breaths ragged. Sora curled her toes, feeling momentarily surprised that she was no longer standing on the ground but hanging in his arms. _Again_.

"That was...I mean why did you?"

"Perhaps you can remember our almost kiss during Swan Lake tonight. You pulled back before I had a chance to properly react." Sora's words stuck in her throat as Leon half-smiled disarmingly down at her. His smile was something she could _definitely_ get used to. "I couldn't let the 'accident' go unobserved, now could I?"

Sora blushed a bright red and lowered her gaze, watching him through half lidded eyes. He had to wonder what she was thinking about. "Leon, why did you kiss me? You said earlier that you had a debt to repay...I, am I only a debt to you?"

Leon almost dropped the petite woman in pure surprise. Sora's tone didn't suggest that she was joking in any way. She was serious. She really believed that he had kissed her to clear a -foolish- debt.

He sighed...long and warily.

"Sora. Look into my eyes."

She obeyed automatically and he was disturbed to find that her eyes lacked their usual vibrant spark. Leon frowned. Sadness did not suit her...she was always laughing, smiling and being her cheerful self.

"You are not just a debt to me. During the show tonight I realized that you..." He struggled with his words, cursing his liability with them. Sophie had always told him that he was a man of little words...and now it was coming back to bite him.

"That you meant so much more to me than just another partner. I'm not vocal most of the times but I would like to get to know you better...inside and outside the stage. This may seem abrupt but..."

Leon never got to finish his sentence because Sora wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, almost making him fall of his feet in the process. She would've giggled at the stunned expression in his violet eyes if the kiss hadn't been proving to be such a distraction.

"Does this mean that you are going to go out with me?" Leon asked roughly, inbetween kisses.

She kissed him again. And again. And again. "Does this answer your question?"

**End.**

I feel there is something wrong with this but I can't quite put my finger in it. It's rushed, it's a little rough on the edges but it's fluffy and romantic. Opinions?

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	2. Everything

Finally got the third drabble out! (blush) I've been warring with myself whether to write this or not for several days now...had to wait to somewhat get in the right mood. Sorry for taking so long to update.

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Muse songs:

_Peter Cetera and Crystal Bernard-Forever Tonight_

_Backstreet Boys-Safest Place To Hide_

**Warning:** Mature themes. Nothing too graphical but still mature. If such things offend you then you might want to turn around now. This is rated M! M people...I'm changing that damn rating.

I would like to give a big thanks to my beta **PaolaAdara** for butchering my mistakes and cutting this into small pieces. I'm forever in your debt honey! (hug) Your explanation of OCC is at the end of the story.

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Everything  
By **Royal BlueKitsune**

If she was dreaming, then she never wanted to wake up and go back to reality again.

Leaning her upper body against the tree next to her, Sora contended herself with watching the bluer-than-blue sea in the distance. It was endless. A blanket of light blue reflecting the amber light of the sun that seemed to go on and on until it connected with the sky...somewhere in the distance. The grass was cool beneath her bare feet, and the redheaded woman allowed herself to completely relax against the rough bark.

She had been so surprised when her fiancé had invited her to spend some time with him at his private villa in St Tropez, France…a special time for the two of them.

Who knew that Leon Oswald could be such a romantic at heart?

Sora remembered feeling like a child in a candy store, her fevered affirmative responses, jumping him and things degenerating into something more than a few thank you kisses...all because her silver haired lover and partner couldn't keep his hands off her.

The young Kaleido Star smiled dreamily to herself, remembering how they had made love in her dressing room before the presentation started. Their trysts were often passionate and fiery, loving and gentle, but at that time, it had been the thrill of being caught that made everything even more wonderful. Besides, she had been completely at his mercy and it had been divine.

Her boyfriend was a sex fiend. Sora giggled to herself. Perhaps they should repeat the experience more often. Not that they didn't everyday they had been here...

The villa was everything she had dreamed of. Stylish, classy and with a view of the Pampelonne beach bellow. It had its own private driveway, a large garden with the most exotic flowers she had ever seen, and a pool in the rear garden. The interiors were bright and spacious with comfortable furniture, open plan kitchens, living rooms, and an outside dining area.

Simply perfect.

Three weeks had rushed by in a blur. Sex, food, walks along the beach, romantic nights spent either in town or in his home, and countless struggles to keep other women from trying to snatch her beloved.

Sora sniffed to herself primly. It wasn't fair. Whenever she wasn't with Leon, some woman would suddenly appear and put on her best act to get in his pants. Then she would be stuck with the act of the jealous girlfriend and try to bat them away as nicely as possible. At this, Leon would laugh huskily and kiss her fully on the lips to reassure her that she was the only woman in his life.

This, of course, would lead to other things, and Leon would practically throw her over his shoulder and run home with her...thank God he was such a good acrobat; otherwise, she might have a heart attack from all those stunts he pulled every time.

Speaking of the devil. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind, bringing the small starlet against the muscular chest of her boyfriend and fiancé. Sora titled her chin upwards and just let Leon lower his head and thoroughly ravish her mouth to his heart's content. The kiss was awkward since their position was strange, but Sora didn't care.

Somewhere in the process of kissing Leon senseless – or was it the other way around? – Sora had discovered the most delightful thing: her silver haired Pegasus was naked save for a pair of black slacks and a second skin of water droplets covering his chest and arms and coating his mane of white hair.

Purr...she thought. Morning shower my love?

They broke the kiss, and Sora turned a dazzling smile towards the man of her dreams, twisting in his arms so that they were eye to eye. Or eye to chest as the case was.

"Sleep well, dear?" Her brown eyes sparkled with a mischievous twinkle as her lover growled lowly in his chest.

"You know I hate waking up alone."

Sora squeaked with laughter when her beloved actually threw her over his shoulder and proceeded to carry her upstairs. She had a few guesses, but she was still curious as to where exactly he could be taking her. Bed or shower?

"What are you doing, Leon?" She was fairly shaking with laughter by the time they had reached the second floor and red in the face because of the blood going to her head. Really, Sora would've never guessed the usually stoic man from a few years ago to be the same person as this passionate man she had fallen in love with.

"You are taking a shower with me...now. That or you're coming back to bed. At least until past nine o'clock."

"Bed," Sora squeaked cutely, and Leon almost chuckled.

Turning his head sideways, he favored her with the same mischievous look she had given him earlier. "Fine with me, but I can't guarantee any sleep while you're there."

"Shower."

She was so red, Leon thought she looked like a ripe tomato.

Sora's blush lasted past the time her lover took to completely undress her from the thin dress and undergarments and until she was thrown in the shower. Leon wasted no time in getting rid of his own clothes and joining her in the cold spray of water.

The blush returned full force and her breath hitched in her throat. His body was beautiful, and Sora ran her hands over the chiseled perfection of his muscles, feeling them ripple beneath her cool hands. Leon's shoulders were broad, his hips were narrow, and his height gave him an advantage over her; he was so big compared to her that it made her feel excited by his sheer strength and power.

The moment his mouth descended upon hers, she was lost. Sora allowed him to move them so that her back was against the wall, and she arched against his body, wrapping her sinuous legs around his waist tightly. Their tongues tangled sweetly, and Leon ran his hands up and down his lover's body, enjoying the small mewing sounds she made in his mouth.

By God, she was addictive. She was perfect from head to toe – from her delicate swan-like neck to her generous bosom, from her narrow waist to her long legs and small feet. Her scent was addictive and unique – strawberries and vanilla – and her bubbly personality was just enough to counterbalance his.

She was his, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

His mouth moved down her throat, nibbling and lapping at the places he knew would make her moan loud. His arms twined around her, one hand settling on the small of her back and the other around her neck, and Leon ground against his petite lover, eliciting yet another sensuous moan from her.

"I burn for you. I want to make love to you," he murmured against Sora's pale neck, and she whimpered in agreement, hands burying in his silver mane and gripping tightly.

And make love to her he did. He teased and gave, took and listened to her voice growing in pitch and fervor. He bathed in the afterglow, the security of her arms around him, and the hushed sound of their breaths combined.

His body trembled against hers, and Leon buried his head in her bosom, nuzzling the soft mounds tenderly. For her part, Sora combed her hands through his hair and whispered her love to him, placing a kiss against the silkiness of it.

Sora wasn't going to leave him. He was going to make sure of that. He wasn't going to give her a reason to leave, and he was going to do everything in his will to keep her with him.

Everything.

TBC...

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Back! Back I say! (cracks whip at OCC) Back in your cage...you've caused enough damage already and now I'll have to change the rating again.

Opinions are welcome! (goes back to stuffing OCC in closet) For those of you who do not know what OCC is, the term means out of character. So, in short, I'm making the characters quite different from those in the show. It's not intentional but it's fun nonetheless.


	3. Fallen

This is me writing another Kaleido Star drabble! (Crowd oohs and aahs) Incredible, isn't it? I've found the inspiration to write another five or six of these things so unless there is a sudden attack of laziness from my part, you won't be suffering from lack of reading material.

Also I would like to give a big thanks to my beta, **PaolaAdara**, for butchering my mistakes and cutting this into smaller pieces. I'm forever in your debt honey! (Hug)

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**Warning:** Possessiveness and drama, people. Enjoy the darkness of it all. It's going to be rather long because I want to try and capture the feelings of the characters.

Oh well. Enjoy!

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Fallen**  
By **Royal blueKitsune**

"I'm going to be a...a mommy?"

Twenty-one-year-old Naegino, Sora couldn't have been more surprised and happy had she imagined herself in this situation. It had never crossed her mind that she could actually carry a life inside her. She might've passed it all as a mere figment of her imagination if not for Mia's wide eyes, Anna's slack jaw, and the doctor's beaming smile.

Sora's hand went to her still flat stomach and she swept her hand over the entire expanse of it. _'This is where my baby is? My child and Leon's? It's so early. Will he want it? Do I want it?'_

Her heart fluttered in her chest. _'I want it. Of course I do...I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything in the world. I'm going to be a mother.'_

The silence stretched for a few moments before the sound of excited squeals and happy laughter drowned the office in noise. It was this way that Sora suddenly found herself in the arms of her two best friends, being hugged until there was no air left in her lungs.

* * *

"Sora, I didn't know that when you and Leon claimed to be too busy to go out with the rest of us, you were actually busy tearing the clothes off of each other," Anna giggled mischievously, ignoring the sputtering redhead who was quickly turning the color of her hair.

"That's not it..."

"Oh, Anna, leave her be. At least she gets to see some action these days...unlike you."

Sora choked on the rest of her words and blushed even more when some by passers turned their heads.

This was not happening.

"Mia! I can't believe you just said that...I think that Ken is corrupting you."

The strawberry blonde waved it away with a cheeky smile and cocked her head towards Sora's direction, concern clearly showing in her bright blue eyes.

"You okay Sora? You've been kind of quiet ever since we got out of the doctor's appointment." Her brow furrowed slightly and she gave Anna a meaningful look. "Are you not...happy about this? The baby, I mean."

The young starlet sighed and put her best smile, albeit a nervous one, for the two. "Of course I'm happy. To have a family of my own has always been a dream, and this baby...I know I'm going to love him or her no matter what happens in the future."

This time her smile was genuine and full of warmth and Mia released the breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"But you're worried about telling Leon," Anna chimed in knowingly. "You really shouldn't be...what is the worst thing he can do?" Sora's expression turned sorrowful and Anna sweat dropped, feeling the chill of Mia's glare drilling into the back of her head.

_'Wrong thing to say.'_

The young woman started sniffling and tears filled her clear eyes, almost ready to spill and fall down her cheeks. Immediately, both girls were at her side, trying to calm down their panicked friend with reassuring words and friendly advices.

"Come on, Sora, don't be like this, please. You know Leon will be very happy to know that you're pregnant," Mia waved her arms around frantically, looking more panicked that Sora was feeling.

How was she supposed to handle this? Sora almost never cried...she rarely had when all the hardships came her way. Hell, the only time Mia remembered ever seeing her brave friend cry was when Leon had proposed to her after more than three years of dating and being a couple.

Naegino Sora was the bright ray of sunshine in everyone's life. She was the person that kept all of Kaleido Stage together---she was strong when her friends were weak, and she was encouraging when they failed.

_'You just had to open your mouth and say that, didn't you Anna?'_

"Yeah, Sora. Please don't take it that way! You know that I'm not really good at this supporting thing...that's your thing," Anna almost sighed in relief when Sora laughed softly. Encouraged, she continued, "If you want, we can go now so you can tell Leon the great news about..."

Anna almost groaned when Sora started crying again. Around them, people stared and Mia glowered uncharacteristically at them, willing everyone not to pry into other people's business.

_'Curse pregnancy mood swings.'_ Anna sighed and went back to comforting a distressed Sora. _'And to think that this will go on for the next seven months.'_

* * *

Leon twisted skillfully in the air, executing intricate twists and turns before grabbing the nearest trapeze with the ease honed by years upon years of practice.

Sweat percolated his skin and made his black bodysuit cling uncomfortably to his slender frame, but he ignored it and launched himself into a double back flip, landing on another trapeze in a handstand.

It was child's play, and, after hours of practice, it was starting to irk him.

Still he kept it up...

...Because God only knew that if he stopped now, he would have nothing to do. Having nothing to do would eventually lead him to worry about Sora's visit to the doctor, and then he would go out of his mind concocting different horrible scenarios.

Leon gritted his teeth and let go of the handle, plummeting to the ground and onto the net with expert grace. It grunted a little beneath his weight and he sighed softly, letting his entire body sink into the pleasant sensation.

Now he had stopped. The second sigh he let out was louder and held all the exasperation he was currently feeling...he was quite sure he sounded - even to himself - like a nagging mother. Even though motherly was the farthest he felt for his fiancée.

It was strange. She had managed to draw his attention with no effort from the very first moment, and, in no time, she had already stolen his heart and possessed his mind.

His hands clenched tightly and his eyes burned with dark emotions.

It had gotten almost to the point where he needed to be with Sora all the time. This need---his need for her---was almost bordering on obsession. Sometimes...he just needed to touch her, needed to kiss her, needed to make love to her, and being unable to do so had transformed into a physical ache.

His entire body was on fire and Leon took a deep breath in a desperate effort not to get up and search for her.

The door suddenly slammed open, and the sound of rushing footsteps reached his ears.

"Mr. Leon! Mr. Leon, are you alright?"

Leon actually wondered if she could hear his teeth grinding from where she stood. Cocking his head to the side, he regarded the young woman critically.

God he really wasn't in the mood for this right now.

"Yes, May. What do you want?"

The raven-haired woman seemed to hesitate for a few moments, and Leon raised an eyebrow as if to question her sudden shyness.

"I was wondering if you could..."

She shuffled her feet awkwardly and Leon struggled not to let his surprise show. Since when had May Wong become such a shy girl? For all he knew, she had always been one to step forward and speak her mind.

Like Sora.

"...teach me some new moves. I know I'm probably bothering you, Mr. Leon, but, please, I would like to become better for next week's show." The dark beauty clenched her fists at her side and her midnight colored eyes shone with a flicker of an unnamed emotion.

"So please teach me...Leon. I want you to teach me," her voice decreased to a whisper and skidded to a sudden halt when the handsome acrobat speared her with the coldest, most emotionless, look she had ever seen him give anyone.

"Liar."

It was a simple statement, one that tore at May's heart viciously. She found that her legs were unwilling to move even as Leon made his descent, black-clad feet landing soundlessly on the floor. He looked the same way as when she had first laid eyes on him, and May allowed her eyes to drink in his handsome visage.

He was truly beautiful. So beautiful that her heart shattered and crumbled underneath his scrutiny...from the proud way he held himself, to his violet-blue eyes and moonbeam hair that fell around him in straight waves.

She clenched her hands tighter and tried not to do her heart's bidding. She was here for one thing...and she planned on getting it no matter what. Guilt prodded her at the thought of Sora's happy face, but she pushed it back quickly.

"Why would you call me that, Mr. Leon?" She moved forward until their bodies were almost touching. So tempting that she could hardly bear it.

"You've never asked my help for anything. You don't need my help, and your excuse is as pathetic as can be, Wong. Either tell me what you truly want or get out of here. I'm not in the mood to deal with anyone."

_'Other than Sora.'_

May blinked the oncoming tears away and smiled sadly, feeling a sadistic joy when she saw Leon falter a little. "Then before I leave, I wish for one small thing from your part...Leon. Please forgive me."

Before Leon had a chance to say anything, May cupped his face and kissed him full on the lips.

* * *

Sora clutched the front of her shirt nervously, feeling her chest clench painfully.

This definitely wasn't her at all. She shouldn't be feeling like this. Fear was not a word found in her vocabulary too often, and she didn't plan on making it one. Besides, this was Leon. This was the man she loved with all her heart, the man she wanted to spend her entire life with and grow old with.

She loved spending time with him, loved stealing kisses that tasted like spices and chocolate, loved nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck where his scent was more poignant, loved gliding her fingers over the toned muscles of his body, loved being made love to. She loved each and every one of his flaws and qualities, and she loved him wholly.

The entrance to the arena was a few feet away, and Sora swallowed thickly. Then why did this feel so hard to do this?

The answer was immediate and to the point. Because she didn't want to lose him...ever.

Before she could change her mind, she walked forward, eyes immediately searching for him. It was almost immediately that she spotted him in the middle of the wide room...with May.

Her eyes widened slightly and she drew back instinctively, feeling sudden dread grip her all over again. She didn't want to tell him when someone else was around. She briefly deflated when she realized that her courage was leaving her again.

So trapped was she in her thoughts that she almost tripped when May's voice resounded throughout the room with startling clarity. Demanding help with some moves.

Dread and nervousness suddenly flew out the window. Were her ears deceiving her? Was May Wong _actually_ asking for help with anything? The flare of determination and passion in her voice couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

The situation was degenerating into something ugly - even she could tell - when Leon harshly insulted May and she replied with something akin to frustration, moving forward until she was almost touching him.

For some reason, the motion sent shocks down Sora's spine. It was almost like...

Her fiancé didn't seem deterred or even remotely interested and his words were cruel and accusing. Sora had to cover her mouth in surprise when May's eyes glazed over with tears; however, her surprise quickly turned to horror when May raised herself on tiptoes and kissed him.

Sora felt her knees go weak and her world of dreams crumbled and turned into a nightmare, though it only lasted for a few moments as Leon flung May away from him, sending her spiraling to the ground like she was a mere rag doll.

His expression...it seemed almost demonic in its rage. It was completely different from the way she had ever seen him.

"Sora." It was May who noticed her first, her voice a hushed whisper that held all the emotions clearly portrayed in her dark eyes: fear, sadness, regret, guilt, shame...love.

Leon's head snapped towards her and his expression immediately contorted into one of such utter despair that it hurt to look at him. Vaguely, Sora realized that her cheeks were damp with tears.

"Sora..."

His voice was hoarse but the mere sound of her name rolling from his lips made her world focus and become clear again. She whimpered softly, and Leon slowly raised his hand, as if to touch her.

Sora didn't know what spurred her to break into a run...maybe it was the terrified expression in his eyes, maybe it was the harsh sound of his breathing, or, maybe, it was just the desire to get as far away from everything as possible.

The pain twisted her chest even more when she heard him shouting her name. The sound of footsteps echoed in her ears as loud as the beat of her heart, and Sora ran faster, barely avoiding collision with Anna and Mia who had been waiting outside the entire time.

They called her name but she ignored them. She needed to get away and think...she needed to be alone.

She needed...

* * *

"Sora! Sora where are you going?" Anna's voice rose in pitch as she realized that her friend was only getting farther and farther from them and disappearing from their eyesight. Next to her, Mia clenched her hands and bit her lip apprehensively.

"Do you think something bad happened between them?"

The comedian was spared from answering when Leon stumbled out and almost ran into both of them in his hurry. Both Mia and Anna sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of him: he looked truly out of his mind. His clothes were in complete disarray - a far cry from the usual elegance he seemed to exude - his hair was tousled and his eyes...

Despite themselves, both women felt terror grip their hearts in an iron hold.

"Where is she? Where is Sora?" The words were choked and full of jumbled emotions, and both Kaleido Stage members automatically pointed in the direction the redhead had taken a few seconds ago.

Leon was off before Anna even had the chance to open her mouth again, moving farther and farther away from their sight with even more speed than Sora.

The sudden snap of Mia's patience was almost audible. "What the hell is going on here!"

Anna opened her mouth to say something, anything, but words seemed to fail her at the moment. 'Just what the hell was going on here?'

"It's my fault. My fault this happened," May whispered softly from behind.

There was no surprise written in her blue eyes when both girls suddenly moved forward to loom over her threateningly.

"What did you do May?"

* * *

The sea had always been a calming factor in her life, and it was just as soothing to her frazzled nerves right now. Sora hugged her knees to her chest, content to just cry her heart out silently in the crook of her folded arms.

She was being selfish, she knew. The sheer despair she had seen in Leon's eyes had been all-consuming and heart-wrenching...and yet, after witnessing that kiss, unwilling from his part as it was, she had felt the indescribable need to just get away. She wasn't mad at him, no. For Leon, she felt all the love in the world and some more, and that feeling couldn't be changed no matter what.

She wanted to cry. She wanted to be mad at May and let her take all the blame for her current agony, but just as she had seen the emotions in her fiancé's eyes, she had also seen the ones in May's eyes. Above everything, Sora had seen love tinged with shame and regret. For that and that alone, she couldn't be mad at May.

How could she be mad at her when she knew that she already had everything May would never have? She was the star of the Kaleido Stage, she had friends that appreciated her and always stood by her side no matter what, and she had Leon.

But, how could she face her friends? How awkward would things be between Leon, May and herself from now on? She'd ran away, driven by cowardice - not wanting to hear what May would have to say in her in the aftermath of that kiss, not wanting to hear Leon blame himself for kissing anyone else but her. People said terribly things at their worst and Sora didn't want to know what she would have said to May, or even Leon, if she'd stayed.

The tears came with even greater force, and Sora belatedly realized that the pain in her chest was as much for herself as it was for her friend. Pain for May who would always have to watch things from the sidelines, and pain for herself, knowing that someday, someone might just steal her happiness away.

That kiss hadn't meant anything to Leon - she hoped it didn't - but what if one day, another woman would think of doing the same thing May had done and actually succeed?

To be apart from him... Sora buried her head in her hands to try and stop the oncoming flow of tears. She had to go back. Now. Urgency shook her very core, making her realize that the sun was now setting and that she had spent several hours despairing under it's warm light...letting Leon go out of his mind with worry just because she hadn't known what to say to him on the spot.

Sora staggered to her feet, seemingly driven by an unknown force, and for the second time that day, she ran with all her might, unmindful that her legs weren't carrying her towards Kaleido Stage.

He was looking for her, she knew. He wouldn't give up so easily, not when it came to her. She had to find him and tell him that she wasn't upset with him, to apologize for being a coward, and to tell him that she still trusted him with her life.

And she had to tell him about the baby.

* * *

Leon crashed heavily against a wall and slid down, trying to will the mist in front of his eyes to disappear so that he could go on with his search. He could barely see in front of him, and whatever he could actually focus on would either duplicate or start spinning in wild circles. Thankfully, very few people were out at this hour.

His breathing was heavy and his throat was sore and dry; it almost felt to Leon that someone had scrubbed it insistently with sandpaper. His entire body was on the point of shutting down...similar to the way it had been on his first day of training with Aaron. But he had to find her.

Taking a deep breath, he stood up, albeit with great difficulty, only to have to lean on the wall again. _'Damn the hot summer evening.'_

He had to find Sora...he had to explain to her that what she'd seen had been a mistake. He had to make her see that she was the only one for him - no other woman would ever compare to her - and that no other would take her place in his heart.

Leon propped an arm against the wall and slowly pushed himself away from it, trying to stand on his own two feet. The sun was setting, and the night was quickly approaching. Leon gritted his teeth and started at a slow pace towards the beach. It was his last hope...he had searched for Sora everywhere with no success.

Fear was like a rabid beast and it was rapidly eating away at his chest. God, he couldn't bear to lose her like he had Sophie. The thought was enough to bring tears to his eyes...a freak accident could take her away from him. Frightened hysteria almost consumed him when...

"Leon. Leon!"

It was like his body was suddenly filled with energy at the sound of her voice. Sora appeared in his line of vision, and the next thing he knew, she was throwing herself in his arms.

Sora didn't waste any time and quickly embraced him with as much passion and love as her slender arms could show. It was him. Leon! She nuzzled her head in his chest, inhaling the musky aroma that was all him. 'It's him. It's him. It's him...' The words were like a mantra as they spun around and around in her brain, and when his strong arms crushed her to his chest, it felt like she was getting back the missing half of her heart.

"Sora, you've come back. Gods, I've been looking everywhere for you!" He nuzzled her soft hair, and his arms tightened a fraction more around her, telling her without words that she was safe and loved. "Sora..."

"Shhh... You don't have to explain anything to me. I was there. I saw everything. I'm not mad at you or even at May." She pulled back to gaze into his clear violet eyes. "I'm sorry I ran away from you. You were worried..."

The last sentence was torn between a question and a statement and Leon chuckled roughly, feeling more relieved than he had felt in days. "Always. Don't ask foolish questions. I love you Naegino, Sora."

Sora blinked back tears at the tenderness in his voice and placed one of his large hands on her stomach. "Don't you mean you love both of us?" Comprehension dawned on him immediately, and she struggled not to giggle at his awed and hopeful expression. Of course those giggles couldn't be suppressed when Leon, ignoring the onlookers, twirled her around, set her down, then proceeded to thoroughly kiss the daylights out of her.

There was no resistance from her as she practically melted in his arms.

They would have to explain when they got 'home,' no doubt. Anna and Mia would swoop upon her like eagles and start a full-fledged interrogation. She would have to tell May that she wasn't angry at her - and she was going to convince her fiancé that he shouldn't be either...forcefully if necessary - then both she and Leon would have to share the big news with the Kaleido acrobats. But, right now, those were all trivial...

...Because right now, she was with Leon.

**End.**

Well, that was in interesting drabble. Sorry again for taking so long to write it but, for some reason, it just wouldn't come out right. Besides, it's an eleven page long drabble...I think it's enough to repent of the sin of not updating for a month. God, it seems more like a one shot than a drabble I swear.

Opinions are eagerly expected of course. I want to know if you like my little drama show.

* * *


	4. Lightning Strikes Twice

Angsty drabble on the horizon...I wanted to write smut originally, but after listening to a certain song, this is what came out! The title is very suggestive but in case you can't guess how lightning can strike twice, I will let you read on and find out.

* * *

As always, I would like to thank my beta, PaolaAdara, for the great work she does with correcting this and everything else I write that's related to Kaleido Star. She's my savior, but she's only human, too, so if you find any mistakes, please tell me.

**Warning:** Drama, drama and more drama...I hope I haven't lost my touch here! Rated a little for bad words.

* * *

_Lightning Strikes Twice_  
By _Royal blueKitsune_

**

* * *

**

Winter reminded her of Leon: pristine and beautiful, mesmerizing and unreachable, cold and unfeeling.

Sora didn't bother to wipe her tears away. She pulled her coat closer and leaned back to watch the play of snowflakes across the gray sky. They were dazzling in their beauty and almost impossible to look away from, unwittingly bewitching those who took time to notice their grandeur.

It was that way with Leon, too. Her boyfriend, her confidant, her lover...those words didn't seem enough to describe who he was to her. He was the man she had fallen head-over-heels in love with, the man who broke her heart every day with his caresses, kisses, and touches.

He broke her heart...because Sora couldn't believe that he was truly meant for her. She shivered but wasn't sure whether it was from the cold or something completely different.

He had beautiful hair - so pretty she wanted to curl her fingers through it and let it slide over her body slowly and langurously- clear eyes the color of the winter sky, charming smile, sinuous body he enjoyed using against her and...and...

Sora buried her head in her hands and desperately tried to withhold the brokenhearted whimpers and sobs.

And he didn't want a family. He didn't want to have a child yet...with her.

She bit her lower lip, almost tempted to draw blood, then moved a hand to her still-flat stomach protectively. Her smile was bittersweet.

_'Then again, what he doesn't know can't hurt him, right?'_ Sora hiccupped and giggled hysterically, noticing offhandedly that her tears had almost frozen _as well_.

Leon didn't know she was pregnant; she had barely found out herself. Sora had no intention of telling him...yet. She was going to, of course, but later. Maybe when she recovered from her temporary loss of sanity. Briefly, she entertained the thought of looking for it - whatever that meant - but, with a sigh, she realized that her brain was still frozen and pretty much uncooperative.

Thus she was not acting like herself.

_At all._

An old couple passing by her gave her speculative glances. The redheaded starlet glared at them, and the old man quickly pulled his wife closer to him, muttering about kids these days.

See? She was a bloody mess. She was glaring at innocent people on the street like they were the cause of everything that had gone wrong in her life.

She shook her head. This strange behavior had probably started sometime between the time she had asked - trying desperately to sound as detached as possible - Leon if he wanted children and he had promptly said no, and the time she had stormed out of the apartment...leaving behind a very beguiled and disgruntled Leon.

Well, who could blame her?

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes again, and Sora blinked several times in hopes of stopping them before they fell. It didn't quite work, only managing to fuel her anger even more.

She had been dating Leon for five years already, two of which she'd spent living with him. It had been a very happy period for her, something to be cherished and kept close to her heart. Today, she was twenty-one, moving towards twenty-two rapidly, and _he_ had yet to propose to her. Try as she might, she couldn't sense anything from him that might tell her that he wanted to commit to her.

There was nothing. Nada. _Zip_.

This was a blow to their relationship, and her insecurities were slowly coming out into the light. All the dark thoughts she had secretly harbored concerning their so-called love were consuming her with a vengeance. All the nights she had watched Leon sleep next to her and wondered if she'd be the first and last to ever see this - serene - side of him, came back to her.

Now that she thought about it, Sora didn't even know what she was to him. Was she perhaps his girlfriend? His lover? Or just a woman he could consort with without having to worry about getting tied down? _A live in maid with extra services?_

The last idea was enough to make her stomach churn with emotions. Sora swung her legs down from the bench, patting away at the layer of snow that had gathered on her trench coat and boots. She was going to have to face her fears and ask him sooner or later. Sora just hoped that suffering wasn't inevitable; she just hoped that Leon's answers weren't going to break her heart further.

Still, walking amongst all the couples walking down the street hand in hand, she felt her heart shrivel in her chest. It went beyond what her armor of sunny smiles and cheery disposition could cover, and she felt her face crumple in tears again. _It hurt._

Leon had never shown her such affection in public. He didn't shy away from her touch when they were alone, and he always liked to have contact with her - he would caress her face, weave his hands through her hair, glide his fingers down the nape of her neck and watch the fine hairs stand on end...

Sora liked to think that he just wasn't used to showing his affection so readily after the death of his sister - the young woman who had left a scar on his heart for life. Yes, she liked to think that, even when her heart whispered that he might just not love her as much as she loved him, he hadn't only used her.

A woman's scream pulled her out of her dark musings, and Sora's head snapped up, face draining of blood at the frightful image in front of her. A small child, no more than four or five years of age, was standing in the middle of the street, clutching a toy ball in his arms and stiffly watching a car come at full speed towards him.

His mother was the woman screaming for help, and despite the desperation written on her face, it was obvious to anyone that she was too frozen in fear to react before anything happened. Sora's eyes widened, and she let out a loud breath, the sound filling her ears and shutting off the outside noises. It all happened in a moment's wake. Visions of that child dead, his mother mourning for him, blood everywhere...

Her heart clenched and before she knew it, she was sprinting forward at breakneck speed; arms spread forward and eyes wild. She wasn't going to be late. She was going to save that child so his mother wouldn't have to go through the same pain she went through when her own parents had died.

She was going to do it because she would want someone to save her child if the need for it should arise.

Her child. The life she and Leon had created together.

Sora wrapped her fingers around the boy's forearm just as the car slid on the ice and spun out of control. Then she was pushing him out of the way and a few moments later there was pain. Pain so searing she could barely breathe past it; pain so excruciating it sent her into a state of blessed numbness. She felt the cold seep through her bones and travel upwards, freezing any physical response. There was something dripping down the side of her chin, and she reckoned it could be blood. Her blood. After all, there was sky above her and gravel below and she was sure that the world wasn't supposed to look to _bleak_ _and colorless_.

She couldn't move. And it was so cold. So cold.

Someone was craddling her face, checking her pulse and rubbing her temples and the warmth of those hands still couldn't push away the cold. Her brain was fuzzy around the edges, and consciousness was fast slipping through her fingers - the same ones she had curled around her stomach at the last moment.

"Hang in there, miss...the ambulance will be here in a few moments."

There were murmured agreements all around her and Sora struggled to rasp out something inteligible right back.

"Leon...call Leon."

* * *

Layla ran through the hospital corridors, cursing silently at the lateness with which her plane had arrived. The accident had already occurred two days ago, and if only her schedule hadn't been so messed up, Mia might've been able to contact her earlier.

_'Damn it all to hell! Which way is it?'_

"Miss Layla, over here."

The blonde let out a shaky sigh of relief and jogged to where everyone was gathered...actually, Layla thought, almost everybody she knew from Kaleido Stage was there.

Mia and Anna had stood up to greet her, eyes red and puffy, no doubt from crying. Ken and Yuri were leaning against opposite walls, both weary and obviously tired and worried. May, Rosetta, Marion, and Sarah were sitting next to Kalos, and by the girls' expressions, it was obvious that they, too, had been crying earlier. Many other performers were there, too - people Sora had worked with during her long years at Kaleido Stage.

Briefly, Layla wondered where Leon was, but the thought was quickly pushed away. She didn't need to ask to know that he was with Sora.

"How is she?" the words were quietly spoken, and Layla feared that she would break down if she talked any louder...or, perhaps, the others would. From behind her, Yuri wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her silent support. She welcomed it.

Mia sniffed softly and wiped away a stray tear, her voice coming out just as softly. "Fractured arm, sprained ankle, fractured colarbone, several bruises and deep gashes on her arms and legs. There was no damage to her spine and nothing wrong with her head other than a minor concussion." she hiccupped and accepted the handkerchief Anna gave her. "The doctors are optimistic, but...but she hasn't woken up yet."

A horribly litany of wounds. Layla almost felt sick.

"And the baby?"

The strawberry blonde had raved about Sora's newly discovered pregnancy at the phone, and Layla fervently hoped that nothing had changed since a few hours ago. She didn't dare think about...

"They're both fine, Miss Layla," May intervened from her place. Dark circles lined the skin beneath her blue eyes, and her lips were pale and thinned with worry, but she was keeping her emotions firmly in check.

"Then would you mind showing me the way to Sora's room, May?"

A shadow of something passed through the young woman's eyes, and she nodded slowly, standing up to lead the way. Ignoring everyone's surprised looks, Layla followed, keeping her expression perfectly neutral. She could feel their stares on her back even as she concentrated on the clicking sound of their shoes on the marble floor. Left, right, click, left, right, click...

Her mouth felt dry and the butterflies that had taken residence in her stomach fluttered madly in a way that jarred her nerves. It was now or never, and even though never sounded better, Layla wanted the irrational and unexplainable feeling of guilt to disappear.

"Is there something you wish to ask me, Miss Layla? I imagine that this is why you asked me to accompany you," May spoke in low tones as they turned a corner and walked side-by-side through the long corridor.

Despite herself, Layla's lips curled in a ghost of a smile. The girl had always been the intuitive one after all. "How is Leon taking this? I imagine he is with Sora right now..."

The raven-haired woman hesitated next to her, obviously having trouble finding the right words to express herself. How did one describe a man who had been on the verge of losing everything he loved and cherished?

"Devastated," May supplied bleakly. "No, beyond that. You should've seen the way he stormed into the hospital, Miss Layla...he was far from the cool, composed person we all know and work with everyday," her voice cracked, and May took a few seconds to get herself under control again.

The halls were silent and so was Layla.

"And that wasn't even the worst part. When the doctors told him that Sora was pregnant and had been one step away from losing the baby, he lost it. He was a man possessed, and we thought at first that he had gone mad with the way he almost assaulted the doctors. Yuri had to physically restrain him until he came to his senses. They gave him a sedative to keep him from harming others _or himself_"

Both women stopped at the far end of the hall in front of a white door, neither looking at each other. They kept their eyes forward, opting to study the invisible patterns on the walls. White, white, white...everything was ghostly white.

"He hasn't left her side at all, hasn't slept. Barely ate, and even then, no more than a few bites. All he does is sit next to Sora, holding her hand and sometimes crying silently. I've never seen him like this before, Miss Layla, and it scares me. He won't take help from anybody, he won't listen to anyone."

The blonde felt her heart clench with the intensity of old and new emotions alike.

It wasn't fair...life wasn't fair. And history shouldn't have the right to repeat itself. Not to a man who had already half of his heart stolen with the death of his sister. The death she herself had unwittingly caused through ambition and the desire to be the best.

Now it had almost happened the same way. The same way.

If Layla could've cried so easily, she would've. She would've cried for the person she'd thought of as a sister and for the apparently accursed fate of a man who had been and was still forced to watch two most important persons in his life teeter on the brink of death.

She pushed the door open a little and surveyed the scene before her quietly. It lasted for a few moments, and May wrung her hands, half nervous, half having nothing better to do.

Then, without a word, Layla turned on her heel and proceeded to head back to where everyone was gathered, much to May's surprise.

"Aren't you going in, Miss Layla?" She almost tripped on her own two feet in her haste to keep up. _'So much for being a Kaleido artist,'_ she thought, almost snidely. But she couldn't keep her balance, not when she hadn't slept in God knows how long.

"Is there a reason why I should? I doubt Leon wants me - or anyone else for that matter - near her, and there is nothing I can do to help her anyway. Sora will recover - you and I both know that she is strong both in will and in body - but until then, all we can do is watch and wait from the sidelines. It would best if the rest understood and did the same thing."

* * *

He pressed a reverent kiss on her hand and leant his forehead against the smooth skin, watching her through dull, half-lidded eyes. She looked so frail, so pale and small on the large hospital bed. Ghostly and surreal.

If not for the bruises and scratches marring her body, he would've been inclined to believe that she was an apparition. A bandage wrapped around her head, a scratch on her cheek and a bruise beneath her left eye which was still blue and black and ghastly.

Leon closed his eyes as he felt burning tears escape his tightly shut lids and slide down their entwined arms. God, this nightmare wasn't ending...he was meant to live in perpetual purgatorial agony, fearing that one of his loved ones would die and leave him alone.

First, it had been Sophie, and her death had paralyzed his existence for more than three years...until Sora came and taught him how to live again. In more ways than one. He had come to depend on her and her presence like he depended on the air he breathed. She had possessed his mind and body in such a manner that her death would surely destroy him.

He brushed a strand away from her face, wanting nothing more than to see her open her eyes again...those soft, strong, eyes that drew him in and mesmerized him beyond belief despite the common color. Never had he seen eyes that could express so many emotions all at once.

Love, joy, determination, happiness, sadness.

His hand strayed downwards and splayed over her still flat stomach, and the burning beneath his eyelids intensified, accompanied by a faint pulsing pain in the back of his head, which would surely develop into a headache in five or so more minutes.

Not that he cared about his minor discomforts when Sora was pregnant with his child and struggling to keep it. It was as simple as that...but terribly terrifying in its simplicity. Because of his callous behavior, because he had hurt his beloved's feelings, he had almost lost them both.

What would it have been like? To find out that the woman he loved had lost the child she was carrying and that he was too late to do anything about it? Leon shook his head, trying desperately to retain some semblance of control. He was a mess, and it didn't take a genius to point that.

_'It wouldn't do to have Sora wake up and see you so emotional.'_ a small voice cautiously whispered in the back of his brain. Leon growled low in his throat and roughly pushed the thought back in the darkest confines of his mind.

_'But that is what got me here in the first place.'_ he thought, almost wishing he could cut out his tongue for saying no to her that time she had asked if he'd wanted to have children. _'If I'd been more responsive, if I'd shown more emotion to Sora both in public and in private, this wouldn't have happened. If I hadn't told her that I didn't want a baby, she wouldn't have been hurt. This is my entire fault.'_

"At last you've proven to yourself that you're a cold, heartless bastard," Leon bitterly whispered to himself, squeezing the small hand in his grasp tighter. "It's my fault you're hurt, Sora...my fault."

"Oh, Leon...don't say that. It's not your fault at all."

His eyes opened and widened abruptly when they settled on the woman of his thoughts. Sora was watching him with a warm twinkle in her sleepy, half-lidded eyes and a tired smile on her pale lips. To Leon, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He wanted to open his mouth and say something, but his throat was suddenly too dry and he was sure his voice would be scratchy.

"You're awake." he finally voiced out, unable to stay silent any longer.

There were no words to describe how Sora felt right now._ 'In pain'_ would be a good one. _'Like a rag doll'_ seemed appropriate, too. The discomfort, however, seemed to fade into insignificance when she awoke to the face of her beloved.

He felt bad enough if she were to listen to his half mumbled words and she could only try to console him the best she knew how.

By the sharp intake of breath and the twinkle in his pale colored eyes, Sora gathered that her awakening had been exactly what he needed to raise his spirits. His voice was hoarse and rough with emotion and she let it wash over her for a few moments before speaking again.

"Yes. For some minutes now, I have been." She chuckled and it sounded as haggard as she felt. "I couldn't pull my wits together to let you know earlier. Listen to me, Leon...I was the one who jumped in front of that car." She was running out of breath too fast; air was a luxury in her state. "I did it to save that child, and, despite the risks I've taken, I don't regret doing it." Weakly, she moved her hand to caress his face and felt her heart clench painfully when he raised his hand to clench her fingers in his tightly.

"It's my fault actually." Her smile remained serene even when Leon's eyes narrowed dangerously in shock and denial. "Forgive me for storming out from the apartment and forgive me for being so upset. If I hadn't run away from you, none of this would've happened." A thought occurred to her and she let out a harsh breath, struggling to open her eyes and move her other hand as well.

"He's fine, love." After all these years of being with her, Leon would be damned if he didn't know how to read her yet.

Sora sighed and he followed suit, almost trembling inside from the shock.

Right now, he needed to get over the fright she had caused and calm down his frazzled nerves. His shoulders slumped, and he leaned his forehead against Sora's stomach, finally allowing himself a moment of relaxation.

He doubted, though, that he could ever put this completely behind him. The scare had been almost too palpable to be ever forgotten. From now on, he wasn't going to let Sora out of his sight. The arrangement sounded ridiculous even to his fuzzy brain, but Leon was willing to give it a shot, if only to know that she would be safe.

"You don't sound angry to hear that I'm...pregnant." Sora's voice was weak, hesitant, but the glimmer of hope easily shone through.

Leon made an exasperated noise at the back of his throat then lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Of course I'm not."

Her heart skipped a beat. He _really_ didn't sound angry - what she couldn't tell from his voice, she read in his eyes.

"I was afraid to burden you when you're still so young. I thought that if you knew I wanted a family, you would eventually end up blaming me for tying you down too fast. I was selfish, and I thought, knowing how much Kaleido Stage means to you, that you'll end up regretting having a baby when the responsibility holds you from enjoying what you love to do."

Sora coughed and chuckled wryly. "I guess we're both guilty about this, aren't we? I thought you didn't want a child, and you thought that I didn't want one."

And to think she had blamed Leon before for his behavior. She couldn't believe she had actually thought that he didn't love her!

How foolish they had both acted.

"I'll forgive you on one condition." Sora almost laughed at the _eager_ expression on his face but managed, albeit just barely, to remain serious. The clueless idiot still thought she was mad at him. "Once we get home, we're both sitting down and talking about our future and what we want from each other. Deal?"

Her face broke into a slow, deliberate smile, and Leon felt the fear and sadness ebb away and completely disappear like they hadn't existed before. He wasn't going to lose her. Not now, not ever.

"Deal. Though I should tell you that I already know what I want...dear."

The last word was almost purred, and Sora wondered if she still had the blood to blush anymore. That sounded so nice coming from his mouth.

"What do you want?"

_'I'm going to have to spoil her more in the future...preferably starting now. It will keep her on her toes.' _Leon thought smugly, filing the information for future reference.

"You. Legally, of course...I'll be sure to ask you that when we get home, unless you're willing to answer my question now."

For a few moments, Sora tittered between happiness and surprise. "Is that a proposal?"

"Only if you say yes." he murmured, offering her one of his rare smiles.

"Then...yes, I'll marry you. Though..." Her eyes darkened and she still managed to look fierce even with a half-swollen eye. "You aren't doing this just for the baby, are you? I'll have you know that I have a cast, and I'm not afraid to use it."

Leon did laugh this time.

**End**

* * *

Rushed, rushed, rushed. Wished I had more patience.


	5. Making Amends

As I said in the last chapter, inspiration has struck true. Here is another drabble from the Kaleido Star universe, and I hope it is to your liking.

It's something I've been thinking about for a long time, and I simply needed to get it on paper before my muses went into holiday...again.

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A big thanks goes to my beta, **PaolaAdara** (and **WildHeartz**), for repairing mistakes and stuff like that. I don't know where I'd be without you! (Hugs)

**Disclaimer:** Leon is just too sexy to be mine! I can dream though...

* * *

**Making Amends**  
By **Royal blueKitsune  
**

This had to be the most awkward moment of her entire life.

Sora sunk into the chair and sighed softly, watching Leon from the corner of her eyes. For the last five hours since they boarded the plane to France, he had been very fidgety and very impatient. It had gotten to the point where his emotions were transmitted to her. Currently, though, he was in one of his quieter moods and had resorted to sulking while gazing out the window at the passing clouds. He was very, very adorable even if he didn't know it.

The redhead blushed and turned her attention to the magazine she had been reading for the past twenty minutes...the magazine whose page she had yet to turn. Sora didn't even think that she had it in her to pretend that she was capable of processing any written information.

Why? Because 24hrs ago, Leon Oswald, the proud God of Death, the Silver Pegasus of the stage and the only man she had never been able to understand, had asked her to come to France with him for a week long holiday. Sora hadn't even been able to gape incredulously at him because in the next moment she was informed that he had spoken with Kalos detailing his plans. The plane tickets had been purchased and he had arranged for their stay at his Paris house.

Sora's blush intensified. Leon's eyes had been soft when she had stuttered out a yes - because she had a silly crush on him ever since that almost kiss during the Angel's Act - and Sora found that she couldn't regret her hasty answer when he had smiled charmingly at her and told her that they would be leaving in a short while.

He hadn't even told her where exactly in France they were going when she had asked, instead, he opted for another one of those charming smiles - it was completely out of character, but it was making her feel faint anyway - and told her to take her swimsuit with her.

In the end, she had watched him walk away, and only after he had turned the corner did Sora realize that he hadn't answered her question.

So here she was, trying not to fidget in her seat. The silence was killing her, and Leon hadn't been too responsive to her efforts in making small talk...actually, Sora thought dryly, he seemed to be downright avoiding anything that had to do with her. He hadn't looked her in the eye since they had started this journey, and he seemed to be in a world of his own.

God was going to forgive her for being sarcastic and asking herself what she was doing on this plane, right? For all she knew, He was probably too busy forgiving all the women glaring at her.

Sora made herself small as she met the intimidating eyes of an older, plump lady who was caught between swooning over Leon and throwing daggers at her. She was sure that if looks could kill, she'd be a pile of dust by now.

"Are you always this talkative or am I just good company?" she tried to keep her voice mild but wasn't sure that she had succeeded in hiding the simmering anger beneath the surface. Leon almost visibly jumped, and Sora's lips quirked upwards in a small smile.

Good God…May was making her a sadist.

He was blinking at her owlishly, and Sora had to repeat her question just to bring him down to Earth...or up on the plane. It was too confusing to think about it.

Comprehension was quick to dawn on her companion, and Sora was pleased to see that he, at least, had the gall to look sheepish. She wasn't sure how upset she looked, but if her anger could get this most unusual reaction from him, then she was ready to pester him for the remaining half an hour of flight.

"Ah, forgive me. I was just thinking...about our destination," the last words were added hastily, but Leon was glad he had because her entire visage lit with a cheerful smile.

It made her look all the more beautiful in his eyes.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Sora's eyes twinkled vividly, and his responded in kind.

It took so little to make her smile and laugh freely, and Leon suddenly felt sorry for letting his past control his thoughts again — it had wasted precious time. Besides, he could be nervous about asking her _that_ when they got to their destination. "I'm not a man of many words, Sora." He tilted his head towards her and immediately, some stray strands fell to cover those clear gray eyes of his.

Sora was positive that if she strained her ears, she could hear the women around them sighing like love struck puppies. "I'm enough of a chatterbox for the both of us," she teased and absently brought up her hand to brush away those annoying bangs of his. Leon tensed, and her hand stopped in midair.

Surely he thought her too intrusive now. She hoped he didn't see the look of longing in her eyes. '_Stupid.'_ She was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush.

He had tensed and scared her away. He hoped she didn't realize he wanted her to touch him. '_Idiot.'_ He was acting like a schoolboy with a crush.

_'God I'm hopeless...I hope it isn't too obvious.'_ The thought was simultaneous, and both chuckled to themselves

"Sorry I..."

"It's alright."

Both started at the same time, stopped, and smiled apologetically at the other.

In a burst of courage, Sora ruffled Leon's hair and put on her best innocent look when he bristled and gave her a scathing glare.

Yes, he was quite adorable.

Between Leon's chilling gaze trained on her face and the women's hot glares burning in her back, Sora thought mischievously to herself, she was feeling quite warm.

_"The plane is preparing to land. Please put on your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen."_

The announcement was made in several languages, but Sora didn't sit to listen to it. She was too happy to care about anything else...the Lord was merciful to her, and she was going to get off this plane finally.

"You're awfully happy. Were you too bored during the trip?" Leon frowned down at her, but she batted it away with another dazzling smile.

"Terribly, but that isn't the point." She rubbed the bridge of her nose and leaned towards him slightly, her voice no more than a whisper now, "All the women in the plane have been ogling you for the last few hours and glaring at me like they wanted to see me five feet under. It becomes unnerving after some time..."

Because her eyes were closed, Sora failed to see the dark stare Leon gave all the female passengers over her head.

Sora practically jumped up as soon as the plane was touched the ground. She was feeling too perky and full of energy, and she needed to let some of it out or she was going to burst. "Shall we go?" Leon nodded and took her hand in his, interlacing their fingers together tightly. Instantly, Sora felt zings of electricity prickling her skin, and she almost tripped on her own two feet in surprise and shock. Her wide eyes traveled down to their linked hands and moved upwards to his face in silent questioning. Leon's expression was unchanged, and he seemed more preoccupied to weave his way through the people than to appear the least bit embarrassed.

It was obvious that hell had frozen over when she hadn't been looking...that or she was suffering from a severe case of hallucinations.

Sora wanted to open her mouth and ask if Leon were feeling all right, but the stewardess that stood at the door was saying the usual pleasantries and giving her a distasteful look that spoke more than words could.

The redhead turned her attention to the stewardess with the intention of giving her a piece of her mind, but Leon beat her to it. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to anyway - his eyes had gone icy cold, almost bordering on a light shade of blue, and he was glaring at the poor woman like she was an insignificant speck of dust. Then he was tugging her down the stairs, and Sora didn't need to turn her head to know that the woman was thunderstruck.

Well, Leon had that kind of effect on those who had never been in his presence before.

"What was that for? You didn't have to scare the poor woman to an untimely death. And what..." Sora stopped abruptly, unwilling to continue.

What could she tell him? Hey, would you mind telling me why you're holding my hand? A few months ago I was in the same position as the woman you just traumatized back there. I might like you now, but your behavior is still enough to make me think you've damaged something during practice.

Apparently, Leon guessed her thoughts because his lips turned into an unfathomable smile. "For several reasons." He favored her a sidelong glance. "And you don't have to be shy. I don't have any plans on eating you..." _soon. _He tugged her closer and made his way through the crowded airport with an ease that astounded Sora - people seemed to be moving away from his path on their own.

'_Breathe. In and out. Don't strangle him. You're calm, and collected, and sweet, cheerful, and gentle...screw being cheerful.'_ If Leon had decided to make her daft, he was doing a damn good job of it. She was even swearing, and that wasn't in her character. Though, today and yesterday were glaring proofs that people change...that or she was a really bad judge of character.

"Then what, pray tell, are those reasons?" her voice died in her throat when she saw the red convertible waiting at the parking lot. She wasn't an expert when it came to cars, but even she knew that such a car cost more than she could dream of earning.

Sora quickly reached the conclusion that she was at a disadvantage here: her companion was a gorgeous young man that attracted looks everywhere he went - with that black bodysuit of his, it was a miracle women weren't throwing themselves in his path - and he drove a car that rendered her speechless by it's sheer beauty.

He was smart, he was rich, and he was famous.

Then there was _herself_. Sora tugged on her white skirt and rearranged her blue, silk top consciously. Unfortunately, she tripped on her elegant sandals, and Leon ended up having to catch her before she hurt herself.

"You're a lost case, did you know that?"

"Sorry," her voice was muffled, and she squealed both in delight and embarrassment when he picked her up and set her in the front seat of the car. His hands lingered on her waist, and Sora shyly raised her eyes to meet his. They shone a lovely lilac color in the bright sun, and she was having trouble breaking the spell they wove around her.

The moment was, unfortunately, broken, and Leon moved to take his place next to her in the car. Despite her blush, Sora was determined to talk to him and not make a fool of herself while she was at it.

Feeling the wind fluttering through her hair was enough to give her courage. "You still didn't tell me what those reasons were, you know," Sora deliberately kept her voice light and turned her head to gaze at her silent companion...only to find him watching her from the corner of his eyes.

Again, Leon didn't bother to show any embarrassment, and Sora was sure that she was the only one who would be blushing continuously for the rest of the trip.

"It was only fair. I can deal with crazed women chasing after me, but I won't allow them harassing any of the people I know. They will know where to set their limits in the future."

The mental image she had in her mind was so ludicrous that it made Sora burst into warm laughter. It was only when Leon smiled in response that she realized he wanted to make her feel comfortable in his presence. And she was. Sora honestly couldn't imagine why she had been so scared of his sudden change of personality when she should've welcomed it instead. After all, it had been her desire to somehow get closer to him, hadn't it?

"Where is your apartment located...Leon-san?" She hoped he was going to ignore her blush again.

"You can call me Leon, Sora...and we're not going to my house yet."

"We're not?"

Her expression was adorably innocent, brown eyes wide on the slightly tanned skin of her oval-shaped face, and he entertained the idea of telling her just that. She was surely looking at him like he had gone nuts, and she blushed madly.

Maybe later. After he made sure she knew where they stood...

He nodded mysteriously and swerved the car to the left and through some deserted streets of Paris. Sora blinked owlishly and tried to remember when they had reached Paris already. It was slightly disconcerting, but Leon made her forget herself sometimes. She wondered what would happen if he kissed her.

'_No, no. Bad thoughts!'_ She was sure to faint, and she didn't want that. Her thoughts had taken the wrong turn again.

"We're here."

Of all the places Leon could've taken her, Sora certainly hadn't expected it to be a cemetery. Her feet moved of their own accord, and she slowly but surely stepped out of the car, even forgetting to be surprised when Leon was the one who extended the helping hand.

It was quiet, so quiet that one might've felt afraid of the abnormal tranquility surrounding them. Sora couldn't even bring herself to think such a thing. If anything, she felt humbled, trusted to find herself in such a place with Leon of all people.

She also understood why Leon had kept to himself the entire time. Everything clicked in her mind at the sight of the white marble stones stretching far and wide behind the metal fence: his aloofness and the faraway expression she had seen in his eyes the entire day. Even though he didn't realize it, there was a sadness there that hadn't been present earlier. The sadness of being faced with his worst nightmare, of knowing that he couldn't deny the painful reality in this place… She had been through the same heartache when her parents died.

The sadness still lingered deep inside her to this day, but it wasn't as fresh as Leon's.

For some reason, Sora felt like crying, but instead, she took his hand in hers, trying to lend him some of her strength.

He jumped slightly and Sora knew that he was watching her with a surprised expression on his face. She tilted her head upwards and watched the ribbons of orange and red stretch across the sky with something akin to an understanding smile.

"You should've told me, Leon. I would've bought her roses..."

Sora's voice was quiet but chiding at the same time, and Leon inhaled sharply, unconsciously tightening his grip on her hand. She interlaced her fingers with his but still didn't look him in the eye.

"I suppose it was wishful thinking to hope that I could surprise you. I had planned on bringing you here ever since the Angel's Act, but, for some reason, I kept telling myself that you weren't ready." Leon's expression was rueful, embarrassed, like a child being caught doing something he shouldn't have.

He pulled her forward through the open gates expectantly. Sora let him, feeling as bold as to move closer to him.

Who would've thought?

"Actually, if you had surprised me more, I might've gone into temporary shock. As it is, I'm still not sure what your reasons are for bringing me here." They stopped in front of a simple grave, and Sora immediately kneeled to say a small prayer.

The stone was no different from the others: cool, hard marble with only a few words to describe a wonderful soul who certainly had deserved more than this:

'Here lies Sophie Oswald. Devoted daughter and loving, younger sister. She was taken from our midst too early and will be dearly missed. May she rest in peace.'

Sora glided her fingers over the letters of her name, knowing that wherever she was, Sophie was smiling down at her brother. Smiling for him from heaven...for such a soft-spoken, caring person as Leon described her, it would've been a sin to be sent anywhere else.

"It's been a long time, Sophie. I have come to fulfill the promise I made you so many years ago."

The redhead started when Leon kneeled next to her, close to her, and took out a rose from the pocket of his long trench coat. It was the single, fullest, and most beautiful red rose she had ever seen in her entire life, and Sora absently wondered how it had managed to retain its immaculate shape through the entire hassle of the flight.

"Many years ago, I promised you on your deathbed..."

His voice was rough with emotions, and it sounded a pitch lower than Sora had ever heard coming from him.

"I promised you that the Angel's Act will be accomplished...the act of the True Star will fill the world with smiles and join the hearts of all those present to see it; the performers and the audience will become a family. I have failed in my promise to you, Sophie."

Sora inhaled sharply and opened her mouth to contradict him, but Leon's fingers tightened around hers like a vice, effectively cutting any flustered remark she had to make.

"I didn't believe such a thing could happen...a stage without conflict was always your desire, the purpose for which you have trained and worked so hard. It's what led you to your death. I am ashamed to admit that I made a shallow promise; it was something I never believed in, and so I pushed myself to become the best there was...I wanted to make you proud, Sophie."

He was twirling the rose between his fingers like he had all the time in the world, and Sora had to wonder what was going on behind the silvery curtain of hair that covered the upper half of his face. The small tilt of his lips left her puzzled, the faint tone of bitterness mixed with shame stunned her...the fact that he would speak so freely in front of her warmed her heart.

"However, recently, my views seem to have been changed...by a mere slip of a girl who would rather suffer incessantly than give up. She reminds me of you in a way."

Leon turned to face her, and Sora felt her heart skip a beat. She had never seen something more beautiful than the faint sparks of silver in his gaze. His eyes drew her in and stole her breath.

"She's the…True Star of the Kaleido Stage, and the one who helped me fulfill my promise to you after so long. She is the one who saw your dream come true...the only one who could make people put aside their differences and join their heart for the Angel's Act."

The rose was gently placed on the ground, but Leon's eyes never strayed from hers.

"Sora Naegino is a woman I would like to get to know, to understand. She's the only woman who could ever hold my attention and intrigue me _so_ besides you...I want to have her close, and woo her, and shower her with the attention and gifts she needs and desires."

They were only inches apart now, and Sora gazed with unabashed wonder at the man in front of her.

"I came to ask for your blessing, Sophie."

Leon's voice had dropped to a mere whisper, and the warm puffs of air were tickling her lips pleasantly. They were both still kneeling, and their clothes were sure to get dirty...but Sora couldn't care less.

"I want you to convince this beautiful, courageous, young woman to accept beginning a serious relationship with me. A date and another, and another, and another..."

His gaze was heated and sparkling in the dying sunlight, and Sora smiled softly, feeling her eyes mist over with unshed tears.

"She pretty much convinced me that I belong in her arms, for a very long time."

There was no other term to describe what she was feeling when he lifted her hand and kissed it reverently. Fascination. Happiness. Love.

"Would I be too bold as to ask for a kiss...Sora?"

The redheaded Kaleido Star laughed, the sound lilting and light. She cupped his face and leaned forward to press her lips against those of a very surprised Leon. It took a moment's time to react, but before long, he was kissing her back with as much gentleness he could muster.

It was soft, sweet, and oh so terribly addicting. Sora knew she wanted to stay like this forever. Even if they were the most unlikely couple, even if they had started on the wrong foot, even if they still had a long way to go to make their would-be relationship perfect...she was content.

_'Thank you Sophie. It was truly you who brought us together in the end. I promise I will take good care of him and make him happy. I promise.'_

_'I hope Leon will like the stage more now.'_

_'If I become the True Star, Leon will certainly shine.'_

_'Hey Leon, there are no two moments that are the same on the stage, right?' _

_'Always brilliant.'_

_'That's why I'm giving it all to live because of it, not regretting whatever happens.'_

_'I hope that just as there are no two moments the same on the stage, there will be no two moments the same in your life, dearest brother.'_

Neither Leon nor Sora noticed the glowing figure watching them from the distance, her blue eyes alit with happiness, her lips upturned in a brilliant smile.

_'You have chosen well, Leon.'_

What _is_ it with this dulcet writing? People could die from a sugar overdose! xD

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	6. Moonlit

For Sora/Leon fans (because I know how hard it is to find them together on any site), I have created a place especially for them. The site is called Unlikely Romance and contains pictures, avatars (created by me), and info on characters. The link is on my profile if anyone is interested! It has that almost kiss that everyone's been so excited about...exclusively for you, people! Go see it.

A big thanks to PaolaAdara: the person who hacked this into bits and pieces and then redid it to look even better than before. My thanks go to you...

Enjoy this fluffy drabble.

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Disclaimer: Kaleido Star certainly isn't mine, but I can dream about it, can't I?

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**Moonlit  
**By **Royal blueKitsune**

Waking up at an ungodly hour had become a nasty habit for Sora Oswald. Sighing softly, the redhead rubbed soothing circles on her swollen belly, trying to calm the agitated child inside. Tonight she was restless, and she was causing her mommy considerable pain with those powerful kicks of hers.

_'She has her father's strength already.'_

Blinking her eyes at the shadowed ceiling proved to be a problem and Sora had to blink again to discern the objects around her. Her biological clock told her it was late, and the watch on the nightstand was blinking green, on and off, telling her that it was much later than she had thought.

Kick. Squirm.

_'Take it easy, sweetie. Mommy still needs that spleen...for the next seventy years or so.'_

She wanted to groan. She wanted to whine. It wasn't the little one's fault; nonetheless, Sora knew that once she had awoken, she wouldn't be going back to sleep no matter what happened.

Sora yawned. Possibilities swiveled through her head- the promise of chocolate chip ice-cream distancing and surpassing others by a long shot- but they were quickly dismissed as Sora became aware of the masculine body half-draped over her and the muscular arm wrapped around her large waist. Apparently, her dearest husband was using her as a human pillow; though Sora really couldn't understand why Leon found her more comfortable than those sinfully fluffy pillows he had thrown over the side of the bed and onto the floor.

Her gaze softened, and she tenderly pushed a white strand of hair away from his face, marveling at the sheer softness and shine of it. How she had been so lucky as to make such a man fall for her was still a mystery...even for Sora herself.

Sometimes, she thought her heart was going to burst from so much love and adoration. Sometimes, she simply wanted to watch him and cherish the moments spent beneath the silvery moonlight. Fortunately, or unfortunately, those times grew in number and frequency as her pregnancy approached the deadline.

Only two months left and Sora was finally going to cease looking like a killer whale: her body was like that of a whale's and her appetite was a killer. Leon seemed to have no problem with that, and Sora found herself, more often than not, cuddled, fed, and pampered like a princess.

Who knew that the cold exterior hid a passionate lover and a gentle, loving husband?

In the dim light, Sora smiled and glided her hand through the _smoky_ hair that fanned around both of them. Leon's hair reflected the moon at night, the sun at dawn, and settled for a neutral color by day.

Her own hair wasn't so beautiful and long - it was a terrible injustice in Sora's opinions - so she enjoyed worshiping his. She brushed the long bangs out of his eyes and watched him move his face towards her hand.

The man was perfect to a flaw, Sora decided in a blink of an eye: from his handsome face and expressive violet eyes to that long hair she so envied and well toned body half hidden beneath the covers. She wanted to shake him awake and ask him if he knew how perfect he was, but realized that he might just think her insane and call the doctor for an urgent appointment.

Settling down, Sora continued stroking his hair and shoulders, reveling in the soft sighs of her husband. The feeling of all-consuming love was back in her chest all of a sudden, and Sora breathed shakily, trying to gain some semblance of control.

No matter what, her thoughts always seemed to revolve around her husband. Leon hadn't even been charming in the beginning, and she had still fallen for him. The first time they had met, Sora remembered thinking to herself that she had never before seen such a beautiful man. He was fiercely handsome with a temper to match. When Layla had revealed his name- the God of Death- Sora had thought that it suited Leon perfectly: he was a cold man who never let anyone come close to him. He was alone most of the time and shunned everyone around him with his highhandedness and prideful streak.

Yet she had fallen in love with him. When had it happened? Had it been when she first found out about his tragic past? Had it been when they performed the Angel's Act together and she had gazed into his pale eyes?

Surely, if she hadn't been in love with him by then, she had fallen in love when he had smiled down at her, a smile that had taken her breath away and made her weak in the knees. By the time he asked her out, she had most probably already been head-over-heels in love with him and hadn't even known it.

The redhead swung her feet off the bed, and found the floor cold beneath her bare feet. She shuddered when the cool spring air, entering from the slightly ajar balcony doors, made contact with her naked body. Picking up the discarded robe from where Leon had thrown it last night, she slipped out to the balcony with the grace of a cat.

Leon was sure to be angry if he woke up and found that she was awake, again, in the middle of the night and standing up. He had this most ridiculous notion that if she woke up and couldn't sleep, she should also wake him up to keep her company and watch over her.

Actually, this notion wasn't as ridiculous as his constant fear that something might happen to her. He insisted that she should sit down most of the time, and if she didn't sit down, he practically insisted on carrying her around.

Sora smiled pleasantly and leaned her elbows on the railing, thoroughly enjoying the wind lifting her hair and cooling her nape. She rubbed her face against the silk of her robe and felt a shiver of electricity run down her spine.

The robe had been an anniversary gift from Leon. If she inhaled deep enough, she could feel his scent on the material, and if Leon wasn't there with her, she could pretend that he was and that it was his arms around her.

If Sora could have, she would've been terribly miffed at both her husband and her utterly dependent behavior towards him and his touch.

The door slid open, and Sora's smile turned into a happy grin as Leon embraced her from behind. Then and there, she realized that she really was perfectly all right with being dependent on him and vice versa.

"You like making me worry don't you?" Leon murmured in her ear. He set his head on her shoulder, nuzzling her jaw line and nipping at the flesh lovingly.

"Just because I didn't wake you so that you would fall off your feet tomorrow doesn't mean I like making you worry. Stop that...it's distracting." Her tone was chiding but Sora contradicted herself by tilting her head sideways to give her husband better access.

Leon was more than happy to comply with her silent request.

"Are you taking me back inside? I'm feeling warm." Sora was quite sure that those two sentences didn't make any sense, but he was doing some very interesting things with his hands and mouth, making her head spin.

"Yes...though I can't guarantee that you won't be getting any warmer soon. Or that you will be getting any sleep anytime soon."

"Oh?" Sora's voice was caught between a breathy sigh and low whimper, and she laughed when her husband swept her off her feet and carried her into their bedroom.

Yes, Sora decided when they tumbled onto the bed, there were definitely ways of getting warmer.

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It's currently 5:11 and I am going to crawl to the nearest bed and fall asleep. I hope you enjoyed my little drabble...don't forget that opinions are eagerly welcomed.


	7. Wonderland Reality

Oh my...it's been a while since I've written something for Light and Fantasy isn't it? This is the first chapter that's different from others...from now on fantasy actually intertwines with reality like the title states. Kaleido Star brought lights, I'll bring fantasy and I hope you enjoy it.

No beta reader for this one.

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Disb**laimer:** Kaleido Star and Leon and Sora are not mine. But I have a twisted mind!

**Warning: **There be randomness and pointless writing ahead. Beware!

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_Wonderland Reality_**  
**By _Royal blueKitsune_

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She was definitely dreaming. Either this or she had finally gone insane and didn't quite grasp it.

Sora looked upwards, wondering if she could go back the same way her body had so unwillingly taken her. Dark, gloomy and missing the light at the other end. Nope...definitely the rabbit hole wasn't the way to go if she wanted out of this place.

Note to self - never devour fantasy books before going to bed. Try not to go to the library so often either. Creepy nightmares were bound to occur - though she couldn't understand how she knew she was dreaming.

Weren't dreams supposed to happen without the knowledge of the person who had it?

She clutched her bare arms, her mind wrapping around the fact that she was in her short pajamas, and glanced behind wearily, feeling the urge to bang her head against something. The best scenario entitled her waking up and forgetting all about the stunningly handsome man with flowing silver hair she had followed into this sick _'Alice in Wonderland'_ scenario. (For the record, Sora thought that this was more along the lines of _'Petshop of Horrors'_ even though she had never _actually_ seen it. The name fit.) Worst case she could get a concussion, faint and then wake up still here.

She was ashamed to say she had second thoughts about finding a sturdy object. Gnarled trees had taken the appearance of monsters from science fiction novels; the faint crackling of danger floating in the air was enough to make her have ridiculous thoughts that involved hurting oneself and hallucinating about things watching from the shadows. Crawling near her feet...under the layer of dried leaves and black earth.

Sora could almost anticipate them slithering up her legs and the mere thought made a shiver go up her spine. She skittered back and looked over her shoulder again, feeling all the more put down when her eyes encountered the same empty branches of trees.

Everything was dead. She couldn't even make the difference between day and night because the fog was so thick and heavy it made seeing farther than a few meters impossible.

Plus...had she mentioned that there was a large, gaping hole in the sky from where she had fallen mere moments ago?

Sora tensed, feeling the muscles in her abdomen coil unbearably tight. There was...someone watching her. She could tell from the way the air suddenly chilled and the faint beat of her heart had become loud in her ears. It was in the faint prickling of her nape, alerting her that someone was behind her.

Very, very close behind her. Breathing on her neck almost.

_Oh God!_

Her body swerved around with enough force to make her head spin from dizziness and, as if things weren't spooky enough, Sora came face to chest with the man of her dreams. Quite literally considering where she was.

Unfortunately, she was so startled to see someone -anyone- standing so close to her that she lost balance and went careening towards the ground in a mass of flailing limbs and unruly hair. It was a cliché to act like a damsel in distress and fall of her feat simply because the treacherous heart couldn't hold its own, but it was a good cliché when the source of her fright acted like a proper knight in shiny armor and caught her mid-fall.

Sora had been contemplating whether the fall could cause more damage to her already throbbing ankle - were people actually supposed to get hurt during dreams? - when she found herself staring at the same pair of violet eyes she'd glimpsed just a few minutes before.

Her mouth felt dry.

He was even more beautiful now than he had been from a distance. His beauty rivaled that of snow - pristine and frozen, cool and crisp- but the heat of his body was delicious enough to make her want to curl herself around him and never let go.

She doubted that he would enjoy that particular thought of hers but Sora didn't doubt that he knew she was aware of his overpowering masculinity. One eyebrow had risen a fraction of an inch to tell her that she was staring quite blatantly now.

Figures...she got to meet gorgeous specimens of the stronger sex only in her dreams. And even then they were patronizing her with those _'don't look, don't touch looks'_! What the hell kind of dreams/nightmares were these?

Sora swallowed and blinked slowly, wondering if this was the moment she was supposed to wake up in her bed gasping for breath.

"Are you quite done watching me? I'd think you humans would need to breathe in order to continue living..." The stranger tightened his arm around her waist, flexing his muscles to prove some point she couldn't quite comprehend.

Unfortunately she was too far-gone to talk back. And it wasn't just because this apparition was making her weak in the knees with his good looks.

**Point A**. Slap him silly for being so presumptuous in his arrogance. Sounded appealing right now! (And since this was her dream maybe she could beat him into the ground without him fighting back)

**Point B**. Try to decipher the meaning behind his sharp tone. Discover the reason why he had called her human and managed to make it sound derogatory and slightly mocking. (As if he didn't belong to the same species as her)

**Point C**. Panic (Don't panic! - her mind supplied helpfully). _Panic!_ Brain malfunctioning. Information overload. Suspect that eyes-brain link isn't functioning properly anymore.

"Did you know that you had claws?" _'Sharp, deadly claws'_. "And furry, fuzzy ears on the top of your head?" Sora didn't want to mention that she had seen a glint of fangs when he had spoken. _'Sharp, pointy fangs...I hope he doesn't bite.'_

The thoughts that accompanied the quirk of his second eyebrow were not quite those she had expected to be. Meaning...they were definitely not pure or frightened!

"Do you humans always ask stupidly obvious questions?"

Sora slapped her hormones and warned them not to be cheeky. Just because his voice was sex on a hot platter did not mean that she had to overlook him insulting her.

This was her dream dammit!

"I am not a human! My name is Sora. Spell it with me! Sora Naegino...not _human_. And I was not asking stupidly obvious questions! It's not my fault that figments of my imagination have..." She squinted and blinked wearily. "Wolf features and adorable, snow-white ears?"

A pause.

"May I please touch them? They're so very cute and _soft _looking..."

His ears twitched and flattened against his hair and Sora stifled a childish giggle of sudden happiness. Small puppies had nothing on his ears. Even if he was cold, uncouth...

"Woman, I will not have you touch my ears and pet me like I'm some sort of domesticated beast for you to toy with."

...rude, unsympathetic, possessing knowledge that he was cute and using it against her.

"Please? I'll make it short. I promise. I've never seen a person with wolf ears perched on the top of his or her head. They look so soft and silky! Just a touch?"

Cases like these required weapons of mass destruction that would automatically bring the enemy to his knees. It was lethal, efficient and...she had never used it before but reliable sources said that it was the best method to use against a man.

Even if that man happened to be part beast.

A first sign of sure success was when that - oh how she wanted to pet them - pair of triangle shaped ears twitched visibly, followed swiftly by a spasm that had the corner of his eye (had he even told her his name?) twitching in annoyance.

Sora crossed her hands in front of her chest, ignoring the fact that his own were precariously close to the underside of her breasts, and widened her eyes a fraction more, putting on the best, most convincing puppy dog look she could possibly think so. It came complete with her lower lip trembling and her hands wringing in obvious hope.

Complete silence. If Sora hadn't been so keen on having her way, she would have acknowledged that she was finding the stranger of her dreams more appealing by the moment.

Petting his ears wasn't the only activity passing through her mind now, but since the silver-haired _wolf_ had stopped protesting and was simply content to stare at her, Sora was the one who took the initiative.

She was prepared for the wonderful feeling of silkiness tickling her fingers pleasantly but she definitely wasn't prepared for the deep rumble that vibrated through his chest. It was almost enough to make her stop and stare incredulously at the man holding her.

Good God...was he purring?

His arms tightened around her waist like steel bands and the sound he made this time was clearly one of displeasure. It resembled the growl an angry dog would make and Sora rubbed experimentally at his ears to see what the effect would be this time.

He made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat and Sora grinned from ear to ear enjoying how his ears perked from side to side. Definitely liking this turn of situations.

She scratched behind his ears and giggled when he purred quite loudly in bliss.

"This is not funny." The last word was stressed out and she giggled again, using blunt nails to rub soothing circles around the ears

This was really, really...an odd dream. She was cuddled in the arms of a half man, half beast, rubbing his _wolf_ _ears_ and laughing every time he acted like a cute puppy seeking his master's touch.

_Blush._

_'That didn't sound particularly well. He's a dream apparition and you don't even know his...its...his - never mind - name.'_

She took a cheerful approach to bat away dubious thoughts from her mind. "You have never told me your name but I've told you mine."

Half lidded eyes opened lazily and Sora briefly wondered what else could bring such an expression on this man's face.

_Blush!_

"Why do you want to know?" He was stubborn but this was her dream. Her scary, sexually deprived induced dream and she had, at least, the right to know who was practically groping her in the middle of an open forest.

Not that she minded...really! Nope. She didn't but she was still going to slap her hormones if they insisted.

"Just curious. Is it a tightly guarded secret?" Scratch. Purr. Sora giggled and one hand moved, of its own accord, to brush the long strands of hair from the side of his face.

"Leon. I am called Leon."

"No surname?"

"That is an unnecessary commodity of humans. We need not a second name..."

Well...he was certainly more talkative now. _Leon_. Sora tested the way it sounded and felt an odd twinge of shivery delight at the way it rolled off her tongue. It sounded so masculine, so foreign compared to her native language.

Just like the man gazing her covetously at the moment.

Sora gulped and unconsciously stopped her massage of the twin, furry appendages on his head. They twitched once as if protesting and then settled down to their original position.

Neither demon nor human broke their staring match to notice that particular tidbit. She didn't notice when her arms came to wrap themselves around his neck. He didn't understand why it didn't bother him to have her curled up in his embrace.

She was a measly human. He had certainly seen females of his species more attractive, more skilled in the art of seduction when it came to the opposite sex. Many of those had thrown themselves in his arms without a second thought - and he had taken advantage when it had suited his needs and desires.

This little woman...she was nothing compared to any of her species and or his. He wasn't sure how she had come to be in this place, a world where her kind was extinct and long forgotten by many young demons, or if she planned to stay.

She was an innocent. Small boned, weak and fragile, wide eyed like a doe and with a temper that seemed to defy her physical appearance. Fiery and feisty...a contradiction on two legs.

And what nice legs they were. He had obviously lost track of the other world if such contraptions - short, flimsy and silky - had come in existence. Short to say, her clothing left very little to imagination...especially at such close range.

She was practically molded to him and Leon couldn't, for the life of him, fathom why he still wasn't letting go. It had been too long since he'd been in contact with anyone...a warm, soft body curved in just the right places.

He was waiting for her to say something and Sora didn't disappoint. Though she did surprise him with her choice of words.

"Are you sure you are just a figment of my imagination and nothing more?" Sora blinked inquisitive eyes at him, catching a strand of his long hair between her fingers and twisting it absently.

Leon thought that he would've killed another for acting so intimate with him. He chose to overlook it, knowing that the little spitfire in his arms truly did not know any better. Besides, her touch wasn't making him entirely uncomfortable.

"You are really handsome...has anyone told you that?" All at once Sora went from suspicious and curious to wistful and longing. Leon had never even known that humans could change moods so quickly.

His eyebrows rose abruptly, close to disappearing in his hair.

"I wish I could be as lucky in real life too. It seems I only get to meet gorgeous specimens in my dreams and not in reality. None of those I meet in real life are interested either."

_'I can tell him all these can't I? He's not real anyway...I can't very well be embarrassed because of fictive beings in my dreams. Besides, this is the only time I can actually says such things without blushing like mad.'_

Her mind pointed out immediately that she was doing just that and making a very good job of looking like a cherry.

Leon on the other hand was in danger of quirking a small smile. A rare occurrence...but in front of such - shocking - brazenness it was fairly possible. Was she confessing these musings out loud (to him of all persons) because she thought that he wasn't real or was she just too forward for her own good?

The beast released a low rumble of amusement in the back of his mind and Leon agreed silently with its musings - it was probably the first.

How very endearing. This unusual girl, Sora he reminded himself detachedly, was speaking her heart and blushing to the roots of her hair. (Actually she was starting to look like her hair)

"You are a most unusual woman-child Sora Naegino. It is the first time I have had any woman speak her thoughts so freely...innocently" Leon felt unaccountably pleased when said young woman blushed an even darker shade of red.

"Not the last that I promise."

Sora blinked wearily at him and the wolf growled his pleasure, yet again trespassing his boundaries and making itself known. Quite unusual but very liberating for him.

"Unfortunately, my response will not come now because you have to wake up first."

"What?" The meaning wasn't sinking into her brain. How did he know that she was asleep and dreaming?

Leon's lips curved upwards in the semblance of, what could be, an attractive smile and he leaned forward, his warm breath feathering across the sensitive shell of her ear and causing visible tremors to shake her body.

"Wake up _little one_." He nipped the tender flesh and Sora felt her eyes roll in the back of her head.

"Wake up."

* * *

Waking up was a strenuous affair for Sora...unfortunately. She was pretty much a heavy sleeper and so that proved to make things a little more difficult.

This time waking up involved jumping two feet high in the air - yelping like a cat being strangled - twisting the covers around her sweat drenched body and falling off her high bed in a flailing tangle of limbs, clothes and fluffy pillows.

Pity she only landed on her rump.

Sora muffled a curse and tried to wiggle free out of the suffocating embrace of her large comforter. With her impeccable luck she managed only to land on her back...still tangled and twisted at funny angles that had her finger itching to rip something apart.

All because of that damn dream of hers.

_'Don't you mean because of Leon?'_ A little voice whispered in her head.

_'There'll be no talking to strange voices in my head. Go away.'_ Sora bit back mutinously. _'And no snickering about wolf demons you meet in your spooky dreams that almost kiss you several times, have their hands in inappropriate places and look illegally good.'_

Her mind snickered in response and Sora had a good mind to yell back some profanities...courtesy of May.

Instead she opted for a prolonged, rueful sigh that spoke of her ever-growing annoyance - especially after such a night - and trying to get up as fast as she could from her uncomfortable position.

Good thing she lived alone in her apartment. No roommates to fuss over her shaky state of mind.

Best thing it was Saturday morning. Milk, cereal, toast with butter and some eggs; and hopefully an interesting show to take her mind off of silly fantasies.

_'You yourself said that you wished he wasn't just a fantasy didn't you? Can't fool me...I was there. I'm you after all.'_

Bad thing her brain was still fuzzy from sleep and couldn't make a witty comeback to that one.

Worst thing was that she was probably going to start mulling the events of her dream as soon as her brain _was_ wide-awake. Like why he - she absolutely refused to call him by his name because he wasn't real dammit - he had said that he could give her an answer yet because he had to wake up.

**Yet!** _How could he say yet when they weren't going to meet ever again?_

How had he known that she was going to wake up? It was strange that she knew that she was dreaming but it was downright unsettling to know that your dreams were aware of that too.

Sora sighed again and threw the covers on the bed, deciding to make her bed later. When she wasn't nervous enough to contemplate throwing it out the window and into some unsuspecting person's head.

"Gods...you are in definite need of coffee. You're starting to scare yourself." The redhead fanned herself and loosened the collar of her shirt to cool her flushed skin a little.

Ten minutes later Sora had decided that, while coffee was good, hot chocolate with sugar, milk and cinnamon was even better for the child in her. Besides, it brought some semblance of happiness to her and reminded her of home and of her mom who always used to make chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa to make her feel better.

She curled her fingers around the steaming mug and absently blew some steam away.

A sip.

This was certainly nice. She was already feeling a lot better about everything. Even if she did have a figment of imagination called Leon practically insinuate in one of her dreams that he was going to give her an answer to a question she hadn't asked at a later time.

Another sip.

She wouldn't mind though. Seeing those beautiful violet-blue eyes again.

Though she was not thinking about it.

That pretty hair that had felt so silky under the pads of her fingers. And those cute ears that were slightly ticklish.

Nope. Not going there. Definitely not going to think about that perfectly chiseled body - because it wasn't real. Certainly not going to imagine what it would be like to kiss a man like that.

_Ack!_ Stop, stop, stop!

Way out of line for goodness sake.

Sora slapped a hand over her wide eyes and giggled hysterically to herself thinking that she sounded like one of those cartoon characters she had seen on television.

Food. Food would be good for her peace of mind.

The cup of chocolate was quickly abandoned in favor of perusing the fridge and anything else that could hide something - edible - that could be nibbled on, crunched, eaten or drank.

Lucky her, the cabinets were filled to the brim with food (sweets - courtesy of Mia; healthy food - Layla; canned and frozen goods - Anna; chocolate, of course it had its own category, was most likely from May who simply adored it). Unlucky her, the cereals were perched on the higher shelf behind all the other products.

Sora scowled and mumbled something uncomplimentary out loud before taking a deep breath and diving straight to the center of the problem.

Sugar to the left, flour to the right, spices out of the way and the cans of soda shouldn't even be here! May had been through her things again because, for some inexplicable reason, there was a box of half eaten ice cream and a jar of cookies blocking her way to victory.

They were supposed to be in the other cabinet! She had told May a thousand time to at least keep track of things if she was going to devour her food (thus the surprisingly large quantity of cookies missing from the jar).

Sneaky Chinese woman! If May hadn't been so happy to make those delicious dishes and use her as a guinea pig, Sora thought that she might've strangled her friend.

Aha! The redhead perked up, brown eyes lighting happily at the sight of her prize...just a few inches away from her hand. Two cartons of cereal unopened and tempting her with the promise of crunchy bits of fruit and cereal which she could then chew and chew and _chew_ some more until she forgot all about that dream of hers.

Her balance was precarious, even for the fact that she was skilled at gymnastics, and there was the promise that everything could crash down over her if she moved wrong but she could probably reach them if she tried a little more.

Then again...with her luck?

One...two...three...reach!

Sora extended her hand forward at the precise moment her doorbell decided to announce, quite shrilly actually, that there was someone at the door.

It wasn't so surprising that she lost her footing and ended up crashing on the floor with a muffled thump. On her abused rump once more. With lots of little packages cascading down on her head from above.

Sora squealed and ducked, missing by an inch the box of cereals - wasn't it ironic? - with obvious lethal intent to her health and life.

Whoever was at that door was going to be strangled for turning her own food against her.

Beware the wrath of a woman wearing a matching outfit with rubber duckies!

The door was opened so forcefully, one might think that she wanted to rip it from its hinges. Sora didn't even wait to see who it was on the other side.

"You just had to come at this time didn't you May? I was almost mauled by my own groceries because you decided to ring the doorbell at just the right time to make me fall on my butt for the second time today! Two times already May...I don't think I'll be able to sit down for the next week because of how much I've managed to hurt myself..."

All this was said in the span of three seconds, between opening the door and raising her head to glare with all her might at the unannounced visitor.

"Further more...further more!" Sora squeaked in a high-pitched voice, feeling like someone had just poured a bucket of freezing water on her head. Considering that this was winter, the thought didn't appeal to her at all.

"Y-you! How...what...? Why are you here?"

Well, that had suddenly sounded immensely stupid from her part. She could've asked how he had come to be here - it would've been plausible!

She could've asked what he was doing here - still stupid, but not as much and not so obvious.

Why he was here was probably beyond anyone's abilities to understand. Currently he was here to look at her like she had just admitted to having eaten squirrels for breakfast.

_'Judging by those ears he had last night, I wouldn't be surprised if **he** ate them.'_

"Since your human memory seems to have failed you since last night, I will refresh it. My name is Leon." His violet eyes crinkled at the corners and Sora had the distinct impression that he was laughing at her expense silently.

The fuzzy ears were gone, she noted offhandedly. But where to? His ears were completely human now...if only a little pointed at the ends.

Her arm had been raised in the air for some reason, she couldn't remember currently, and he wrapped his long fingers around her wrist, placing a butterfly kiss on her knuckles.

She blinked up at him and felt her knees buckle dangerously at the rich, smooth tones of his voice.

"I have come to give an answer to your questions." Warm, dark and silky - his voice was making her stomach feel like it would plummet to the floor any moment now. "I can promise you many interesting things..."

There was a hint of something in his eyes that shook her to the core.

"...but I do not think I can promise that you will be sitting down too much. Unless it's your bed."

Oh heavens! Oh heavens!

His hold on her wrist tightened and his thumb was busy rubbing circles in the center of her palm.

Panic!

Sora did the only thing a girl could do in these situations...and promptly fainted in his arms.

**End.**

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**

I'm having tons of fun with this.


	8. Rice Paper

Can you believe it? I'm actually updating **Light and Fantasy** so soon after writing that last chapter. Unbelievable I tell you. This one shot is back in the canon universe of Kaleido Star (remember that alternation between AU and canon? Well here it is!).

It's lighter piece so I hope it comes out good. I just thought - what would come out of mixing sake and the Kaleido crew? Chaos most probably. Just want to give it a try.

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Dictionary:

**Ochoko** - small cylindrical sake cup

**Tokkuri - **sake flask or pitcher

Dis**blaimer:** No one is mine and I own nothing but the idea.

**Warning:** Innuendos and drunkenness ensues. Oh the insanity...

* * *

**Rice Paper**  
By **Royal blueKitsune**

She should've known that bringing sake to her friends would be a very, very bad idea. It had the word _beware_ written in big, red characters on it - neither of the girls had ever been subjected to alcohol before.

Until now that was.

"The nerve of him. Coming onto me like I was some tramp he could just pick up at any given moment." May sniffed primly, her words slurred, and then dissolved in a fit of high-pitched giggles that threatened to choke her.

Note to self - sake and May do not mix!

"So you punched him?" Mia enquired in the same tone of voice, her eyes feverish with anticipation. Next to her Anna made a swishing motion in the air and mumbled something to herself. It sounded like a sick cackle to poor Sora and she knew for sure that she didn't want to know any further than that.

"No way...she probably made a soprano out of him!" Sarah leaned forward and her eyes held a devilish gleam. "A sharp pair of scissors should've done the job well enough!"

Honestly...she had only turned her back on them for a split second, to get the plate of cookies from the oven, and by the time she was back in the living room, her not so innocent friends had already downed three cups of sake and were rapidly reaching the fourth one.

There was laughter as all the women downed another cup of sake (good thing she had gone with the traditional ochoko) courtesy of the still full tokkuri. Everything was pretty much traditional and thank the saints for that! If they acted like this after drinking such small portions, Sora didn't want to imagine what it would be if those had been real cups.

Hell no!

"Actually I'll go with neither of those. I just kneed him in the groin and whacked him with my purse!" The current storyteller flipped her jet-black hair over her shoulder and grinned lopsidedly, despite the disappointed exclamations.

"Men can be pigs sometimes." Rosetta hiccupped and giggled, tripping her words and almost loosing her balance in the process. "They just don't know how to treat a nice girl when they find one."

Sora wanted to find a pillow and scream in it - when the girls nodded a little bit too enthusiastically - then come back in the room and discover that her friends were actually sober and that this conversation was not taking place!

"They're acting strange Sora...I'm scared!" Marion tugged at her sleeve shortly, her voice a panicked whisper. "What exactly did you give them? They sound like headless chickens!"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say Marion. The girls are just...a little indisposed." Though headless chickens did have a certain ring to it, Sora concluded when Sarah laughed at something May had said about feminine power or some such exaggerated idea she had in her drunken stupor! (Of course that didn't mean that she herself didn't believe in the power of a determined member of the female species - after all she had gotten her paws on Leon hadn't she?)

Sora fervently hoped that said man was coming to pick her up soon. She had done her penance for her unintentional mistake - what else could you call the half and hour that had taken both her and Marion to convince Mia and Anna that the paintings weren't Frisbees? - and she wanted a break from this asylum of insane Kaleido Stars.

Some of which should never, never, and she did mean never, touch alcohol. Again. Had Sora mentioned the never before? Because if she hadn't...

"You do know that you're drunk and that you're most likely going to regret your behavior later right?" Trying to beat some sense into them came after or before she tried to convince them rationally? Sora had taken the latter because she was naturally a peace loving person but she had been known to make mistakes before...

"Nah! We're just liberated."

Mia made a peace sign and Anna hiccupped.

"You know..." Sarah slurred, downing her cup in one gulp, "I've always wanted to try flying. You guys make those high jumps seem so easy!"

Marion stomped to the window and shut it. Sora rubbed her temples and contemplated calling Kalos.

"Eh, maybe later." Over my dead body.

"Grouch!" May huffed, flipping her long hair over her shoulder haughtily. "Someone hasn't been getting any lately." She singsonged.

Sora knew that she loved to help people. It was in her nature to be kind and considerate towards others. So technically she would've loved to help Marion who was coughing desperately - and she should've probably covered her ears too because children were not supposed to hear THAT - but practically she was busy choking on her green tea and trying to breathe!

_Here rests May Wong,_

_Loving daughter and sister, arguable friend, determined opponent, single. She died at the hands, literally, of an incensed woman who decided to show that whoever invented the saying 'fiery redhead' knew what he was talking about. No doubt a he._

_She shall be missed._

Pity she wasn't really a violent person...that epitaph sounded promising.

"May! You did not just say that..." She squeaked in a high-pitched tone, starting to eerily resemble the color of her hair.

"Oh pish posh!" Mia dismissed her babbling altogether and Sora felt a headache coming when all eyes zoned on her with unlikely rapidity - for how drunk they all were. "We're your...hic...friends! We deserve to know if Leon is the virile man he is made to be."

Sora felt the heat flare up in her body and finally manifest into a full body blush. Her hands had - sometime during this - covered Marion's ears but apparently something had slipped past her fingers because the poor child was blushing from head to toe.

Not that she could blame her.

"That's my business."

"Well now it's our business too so spill girl." Anna giggled loudly and punched her in the shoulder, almost sending Sora toppling over.

I want my Leon! She wailed mentally, wanting a hole in the floor to hide into and away from those suspiciously interested stares she was receiving. Why did she have the feeling that she was getting into something that was completely beyond her?

Sora's eye twitched, a barely imperceptible tremble of her eyelid that signaled her obvious nervousness. The clock struck seven, which meant that it was now five minutes later since she had checked it last time.

Not good.

"I'd rather not talk about it." Best not traumatize the single, young, sober person more than necessary - if that was still possible.

May paused. Grinned and - daintily - sipped on her sake, blue eyes fixed intently on her victim/friend.

"I see." Sora released an audible exhale and imitated May's earlier gesture, enjoying the way the tea slipped down her parched throat. "Sexually frustrated? He's not good enough for you?"

The tea made an unlikely second appearance when Sora spat it out forcefully.

"Oh Sora, dear, you should've told us. We didn't know it was that bad!" Sarah sniffed dramatically. The older woman grabbed her shoulders and if Sora could've, she would've sweat dropped in front of such a determined expression. "You must be firm on your position if he can't be..."

Sora choked again, feeling her face burst into flames. Behind her Marion was blinking innocently, obviously not following this conversation anymore.

These adults were acting strangely.

"Do you want us to beat some sense into him?" Anna threatened boisterously, slamming her fist on the table and rattling the fine porcelain cups visibly.

"Umm, thank you Anna but I'd be grateful if you would just not shatter my mother's set."

_'At most you'd be a vast source of amusement.'_

"I have a script and I'm not afraid to use it." Mia pitched in with a less than sane smile on her face.

Everyone ended up having to duck when the heavy booklet, which had magically appeared out of nowhere, was swung in a wide circle, passing by their heads - and missing - by a few inches. Thankfully!

"Put that down you crazy blonde. Do you want to kill us all?" May bellowed, grabbing onto Marion to keep herself upright. A few seconds after both girls were again toppling over, probably because May had picked a person half her size and strength, and falling on the floor, legs flailing wildly in the air.

Sora found the moment to send a small prayer for managing to convince Sarah to go with the traditional Japanese cushions instead of the tall chairs. She didn't want to imagine spending her night at a hospital with her friends who were bound to have a killer hangover by tomorrow. And concussions to boot!

If Leon didn't find out first.

"Good old Sora..."

"I'm barely twenty!"

"She doesn't want to worry, us, her friends with her personal problems."

"I don't have any problems! Would you stop badmouthing my poor fiancée?"

"But Sora!"

"Not buts. You're all drunk. Sit down, shut up and please stop spewing nonsense. There is nothing wrong with my relationship."

"I knew you were selfish!" May hit her palm with a tight fist and then wagged a finger in her friend's face, her face full of righteous fury. "Leon is probably a God in bed and here you are keeping him all to yourself and trying to deceive us all so shamelessly."

"That better not sound like I think it sounds." Sora growled lightly. She withheld the sudden urge to pounce and maim and instead raked a hand through her hair, pulling on the strawberry strands for insanity purposes.

"What?" Big blue eyes blinked deliberately slow. "Sharing is a virtue."

"So you don't want us to beat him?"

_Merdre!_

Leon's language came handy sometimes and it sounded so pretty.

One hand rose. "No beating, no maiming, no stealing and definitely no sharing. That's my fiancée you're talking about. I have the rights of a jealous woman!"

"Elo...eloq...nicely put little Sora!" Anna chuckled softly. "You show her who he belongs!"

That sake was starting to look tempting but if that meant ending up not being able to speak correctly...and then speaking of men like pieces of meat she was skipping!

Rosetta, who had been blissfully silent until then, decided that she was long overdue in joining the too interesting discussion going around.

"I say that the best men out there are gay..."

Even Sarah fell over at that one. Apparently Rosetta had been considering the current subject a little too much.

"Plain nuts."

"That's taking things a little too far."

"Girl...you've definitely had a little too much to drink. Gay men are great sometimes don't get me wrong," Anna fanned herself and her expression was one of pure mischief, "but there are certain things only a real man can get you."

How old was Marion by now? Twelve and a half?

"Love." Mia sighed dreamily, her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Lots of attention and that includes pays for most of your stuff when you feel the need to go on a shopping spree." Sarah chirped, flashing her engagement ring with little reserve.

"His credit card!" Anna added cheekily.

"Satisfaction." Sora concluded with a resigned sigh.

Really...it was not fun being sober when people seemed to be having so much fun being drunk.

"I knew you'd come around and see the light." May concluded with a stretch that helped her sore muscles and another of her presumptuous laughs..

"You know what they say - it takes more energy to argue then to laugh with them." The redhead mumbled to herself, feeling tempted to take a sip of that sake to loosen up.

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" Sora returned cheerfully. "Does this discussion actually have a purpose or a direction?"

_'Or can I just throw you in the nearest shower and get over the really strange parts?'_

"Of course it has dear." Sarah mock giggled. Didn't take a genius to know that she was way beyond tipsy. "We want to convince little Rosetta that a man has his attributes."

"Like?" Marion piped in, feeling uncomfortable with the way she was being left out. She wanted to be a grown-up too!

"Why sex of course! Can't get any better than that." Anna was blushing madly but then again so was everybody else - experience and all taken into consideration.

"Anna," Sora squawked, "I don't want to hear it!"

"Rosetta there comes a time in life when a girl becomes a woman..." May stopped abruptly and one finely shaped eyebrow rose as she surveyed the blushing young woman who had been unfortunate enough to become the next target. "Do we need to give you _'the talk'_ or can we skim over the details?"

Sora's hands covered Marion's ears so forcefully that the child winced and made a sound of protest in the back of her throat. The Kaleido Star planned on apologizing after all this was done with.

"I think I'll pass."

"I can feel my life passing that's what's passing." Mia mumbled. "What May means to say is that there comes a time if life when a man becomes necessary. And not just for sex!" She turned menacing eyes towards the dark-haired woman.

"First, it's rude to interrupt and second, I happen to think that sex is the best advantage one can get from a relationship."

Rosetta and Marion instantly went beat red.

"Ah, Kalos is an expert in that. Hic! For a man who claims to have lost his ability to perform, he sure can work his magic with those hands of his." Sarah laughed gaily. "Not to mention his..."

"Enough, enough, enough! I don't want to know more." Sora shrieked, hands flying to cover her own ears.

She wasn't going to be able to look at her boss the same way ever again!

"Well I tell you something...my husband's parents didn't call him Dio for nothing." The comedian laughed roguishly.

"Isn't it a little too much to, hic, bring his parents into this?" Rosetta added thoughtfully, pouring herself some more sake...only to have Sora snatch and down it in a hearty gulp.

Stares and crickets outside.

"You all right Sora?"

_'I wouldn't be the one asking.' _Sora smiled lopsidedly and stood up, grabbing her purse and coat in the process.

"Peachy fine. My ride is here and so I bid you all adieu. If you need hangover tips, please don't call me seeing as how I'll be too busy being exhausted and sleeping."

"Your ride?" May inquired woozily.

"Exhausted?"

"Don't call?" Rosetta and Sarah inquired, blinking owlishly at each other.

It took a few moments for the meaning to sink in and when it finally did, the Kaleido Star had the pleasure of seeing all the girls shriek in unison and loose their balance simultaneously.

She gave Leon a chaste kiss on the lips with that pleasant image in mind and was greatly pleased when he returned it fully, deepening their brief contact for a few more delightful seconds. Payback was low but she could always blame it on the alcohol.

"That was low Sora!" May bellowed, trying to disentangle from Mia's side, her cheeks flushed deeply. "How long did you know that Leon was here?" She was drunk but, oh, when she woke up she just knew that she was going to regret this!

"Was I not supposed to be here May?" Leon wrapped an arm around his grinning fiancée and though his voice was crisp and cool, Sora could detect the barest traces of warm amusement in the way his eyes darkened. He knew that the Chinese performer would have nothing to protest. "Or perhaps you would've preferred if I were not present for your gossip session?"

Oh yes...Sora could tell that he thoroughly enjoyed making everyone squirm in obvious discomfort.

"What session? It was just talking...and how did you manage to get in? I thought I had locked the door." Only May could manage to pull the detached card out of her sleeve when she had just been subjected to the worst type of embarrassment possible.

One silver eyebrow rose in blatant mockery.

"It matters not. Walls aren't as thick as they used to be." Dismissing the uttered groans and the fuming starlet, Leon turned on his heel, easily taking a sheepish Sora after him.

The appearance of one of the top stars at Kaleido Stage, and the main subject of discussion, seemed to have had a sobering effect on everyone.

"Someone tell me that Leon did not hear us!" Anna winced, rubbing at her suddenly aching temples. Why had she decided to try the damn rice wine again?

"I am shamed for life!" Mia moaned in her hands.

"I just know that I'm never going to be able to look Mr. Leon in the eye again." Rosetta let her head fall on the table with a muffled thump. "And Sora too. I can't believe I said that...utter stupidity." Sarah patted her on the back sympathetically, cringing slightly when the sharp voices reached her sensitive ears.

"The nerve of him!" May raged, stomping her heel. "What ever possessed me to want him as a partner so badly? Sora can have him!"

"That isn't what I understood earlier from your exchange." Leon's voice rumbled from behind the wall that connected the apartment to the hallway.

A twitch. Damn those accursed thin walls!

"Well understand again - screw you!" May singsonged.

"Not so loud will you?" Sarah whispered fiercely, plopping down next to a wailing Mia. "My head is killing me."

"You sounded willing to do that one too earlier." Even from the other side May could hear the rumbling sounds of deep laughter accompanied by a gasp of indignation.

"Do you want to sleep on the couch Leon Oswald? You might just earn a ticket towards lifetime opportunity." Sora's growl sounded damn right jealous.

Another few moments later May was sighing and rolling her eyes towards the heavens.

"Dare I even ask?" Anna's voice was muffled by the pillow she had thrown over her face.

"He's probably kissing the daylights out of her."

"Really?"

"Yep. The voice of experience. She's probably forgiven him already."

"That's nice..."

A giggle.

"So that means that we might just find out how virile he is by tomorrow? After he -ahem- refreshes Sora's memory?"

There was just no helping with some people.

"End of subject miss Sarah."

"But..."

"Not buts...I don't want to hear about it. We've already dug our own graves deep enough."

"How mean."

"So sue me..."

**End.**

**

* * *

**

Well...that was most assuredly strange. Light, a little funny and lots of innuendos. I blame it on the weekend. It's making me write strange things.

Please review? I'd like to hear what you think. No flames - constructive criticism is welcome.


	9. Present

A challenge/present for **Candy Dragonstar** - because she asked for it and, although later than sooner, I liked writing it. Also written for the **Sora/Leon Snowblossom** community that I love so much. Probably wouldn't have posted it here but, in truth, I haven't updated Light and Fantasy in a long time. It seems to be a favorite among many.

Challenge used: **_New years party with everyone there where someone (or a group) tries to get Sora and Leon together. Kind of like an everyone knows how they feel but each other. Most importantly have fun and be mischevious._**

* * *

No beta reader. Characters might be a little OOC - I'm not even sure of the meaning of that word anymore (Shakes head) - and the setting is generally canon with hints of AU. Because it didn't happen in the show...and I it came out a little perverted towards the end.

**Warning:** Quirky mind at work. Read, review and be happy! My mind has permanently taken residence in the gutter, even if there is no smut written. I thought about it. (Snickers)

* * *

**Present  
**By **Royal blueKitsune**

Mia wanted to stomp her foot. _After_ she pounded Ken into the ground hard enough for him to see the stars before midnight.

Next to her Anna sighed. Rosetta snapped her fingers. May cracked her knuckles.

Ken seemed perfectly oblivious to the tension, and the five pair of angry eyes burning in his back, and perfectly content with holding Sora's undivided attention. Sometime during his passionate speech he had grabbed her hands in his and was now smiling like a complete and utter fool.

May wanted nothing more than to commit murder.

"Third attempt foiled tonight," Anna sighed again and crossed her arms, "Passing to plan D of _'star-crossed souls'_ and hoping for the best."

Rosetta made a sour face. "Who came with the brilliant idea of naming this thing so mushy? Every time I try to think of him and her under that category, I have to beat my gag reflex into submission."

"Okay," Mia rolled her eyes, "so perhaps Leon and Sora don't fit that category..."

"...but it doesn't mean you can deny all the, ahem, heat and fire when those two perform together. It's undeniable."

She and Rosetta shared a grin over Marion's head who had begged to tag along...even if she didn't know exactly what the girls were planning yet.

Weren't fire and heat supposed to be scary things? And what was all this talk about star-crossed souls and getting together? She scrunched up her face in pretty pout and hugged Jonathan to her chest - adults were so confusing sometimes!

Always talking in riddles.

"So - passing to phase four?" Mia took out a little black notebook and scribbled something on the almost full pages.

"The bit with the fake phone call - check. I tried, but I swear to God that Ken has the attention span of a child on sweet when it comes to anything but Sora and the stage." She tsked to herself.

Anna snorted to herself and smothered her palms down the deep violet of her dress; knee length and shoulder-less, she was dressed to kill. "Or maybe he's just got his head way up in the clouds anytime. You know Ken."

A unanimous roll of eyes was in order.

"The distracting attention technique - check. May, my deepest apologies...he's an idiot for not knowing what he's missing."

May's first response was a dainty flip of her hair over her shoulder followed by a, "Thanks. If he doesn't find anything sexy beneath this little number, than he shouldn't be allowed to help on the stage. Maybe he needs an eye check?"

Anna struggled with her giggles when May twirled around in her short, sexy, black dress and batted her lashes at her with a fake, come-hither look.

"You two want a little privacy? Should we give you some time alone?" Rosetta commented dryly, ignoring the gasps of outrage and the simultaneous_ 'I have a boyfriend you know!'_.

"Attempt at engaging him in a conversation about the oncoming stage show - check. Thank you Rosetta for your solicitous help! You faked interest so well I even fell for it."

"There are perks for being part of the stage you know." Dark red, asymmetrical and only hanging from one shoulder, Rosetta definitely had all of boys at her feet tonight.

"So that only leaves the_ 'rough'_ part then. I suppose we have no choice." Mia _glowed_ with innocence but no one was fooled for one bit.

Under that candid appearance laid a devil waiting to be awakened.

"I suppose," May tapped her chin thoughtfully and her eyes flickered from a desperate Sora, who really was in need of a break, to a seemingly uncaring Leon who was engaged in a one sided conversation with a sexy redhead - with heels too tall and a smile too saccharine for anyone's tastes. "I mean Leon looks decidedly sexy in that black tuxedo, with those two buttons opened..."

She fanned herself for a moment and then turned back to her friends...who were staring at her darkly.

"What?"

"O-kay!" Anna interrupted cheerfully, "Let's remember not to send May anywhere near Leon shall we?"

There was a chorus of yes and the girls dispersed to their allocated positions.

Plan D was in full motion and they had less than two hours until the New Year came to get the top stars of Kaleido together.

* * *

"Kalos is calling me?" Ken asked incredulously, eyebrows rising in incredulous wonder. "With only an hour left until midnight?"

The last he had seen of his boss, he had been retiring with Sarah somewhere private...for some little quality time. Was this some type of joke?

"He has some important business to discuss with you Ken?" Anna materialized on one side and Mia on the other and both had their arms wrapped snugly around his elbows.

Sora's expression was indescribable, at least to him, when he turned to look back at her.

"If you need to go, I'm not stopping you. We have all the time in the world to finish that talk later..."

Mentally the redhead starlet thanked Kami for the unexpected help in the form of her friends - the very ones who had been trying all night to get her away from Ken for some reason or another. Didn't matter to her!

Sora, really, liked Ken but only as a friend for the sake of all that was holy! The man came off too persistent even by her standards and it was quite obvious that he was waiting for the opportunity to tell her what he felt.

_'At least then I can politely, kindly, say NO to him.'_ Sora mouthed her thanks to Mia as she dragged a sputtering Ken behind her and was rewarded with Anna winking conspiratorially back at her.

She didn't even sit to think that the rakish grin on her friend's face had been a little too enthusiastic for her liking. All Sora could think about was finding her partner now - perhaps being present when the clock struck twelve!

Why? There wasn't a why. The man was smart, if not a little harsh with his words sometimes, handsome to die for, exotic in looks and singularly attractive with that white hair and violet eyes, and...had she mentioned that he made her mouth dry? That black suit only enhanced those devilishly good looks of his!

Unfortunately, Leon didn't seem to be anywhere around.

"Sora," May's sweet voice shook her out of her obvious staring and searching. Great, "you're just the right person I've been wanting to talk to! How nice that I found you here."

Yeah, you found me like the wolf finds the scent of blood, Sora thought morbidly putting on her most pleasant smile.

"Is there anything I can help you with May?"

**_Bingo._** The starlet's smile suddenly gained the double-edge of a sword.

"Funny that you asked..."

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ken pounded on the door with a lot more force than Mia would've given him credit. "Let me out this instant! Your plan is insane."

"Sorry Ken," Anna checked her manicure for any sign of broken nails - because, for such a seemingly powerless boy, Ken sure was hard to drag. "We can't do that yet."

"We can promise though that we will let you out as soon as the clock strikes midnight though." Mia felt guilty enough to try and pacify him.

The violet-haired girl wondered why she even tried. They had forcefully taken hold of him and locked him in an empty room in order for their friend to get together with the man of her dreams.

Not much of a reason.

"Midnight? Are you drunk?"

"You know how the story goes Ken. Midnight is the time of magical moments...or in this case R rated happenings. I'm sure Leon can find his way around things with all the sexual tension he and Sora have been lately experiencing."

_"What?!"_

The volume of his voice made them instantly wince.

"I sure hope that Rosetta and May are having better luck than we are. I can't imagine another forty five minutes of this." Mia leaned against the door with a weary sigh. "The things I do for my friends."

Anna had to agree with that one.

* * *

She resisted the urge to fidget in his presence. How could Sora stand this indifferent silence? It was grating on her very nerves.

"It's behind that very door," Rosetta pointed to a room at the faraway end of the hallway - the 'No Disturb' sign neatly hanging from the doorknob - and watched as Leon narrowed his eyes at it, as if it would melt under his gaze if he willed it to...

He didn't seem inclined to say anything more and the blue-eyed girl tried desperately to smile in front of his disinterested visage. "May insisted that I show you her present personally. We hope you like it..."

Leon passed by her, silently dismissing her from his presence, and the Diabolo expert took the first occasion to make herself disappear; because God knew, she didn't want to be here when he found his present.

As for Leon, he didn't feel apprehensive at all about what could be hidden behind the door. Annoyed perhaps, as he had been enjoying other more pleasant activities before.

The door opened easily and he beheld, with no little surprise and increasing amusement, his present sitting on the bed - looking more alive than a puppy/kitten and kicking, wearing a white dress that rode up her body to reveal certain enticing body parts and constantly squirming to get out of her bonds.

Even the red ribbon was there; tied securely to prevent her from making any sound or moving her hands and legs.

"You are supposed to be my present," he murmured thoughtfully, looking into Sora's wide eyes intently. The door closed behind him with a muffled thump.

She stilled and shifted towards him; whimpering something beneath her makeshift gag and watching as he approached her slowly - his hands moving to remove the dinner coat, nimble fingers moving to open another two buttons that had apparently disturbed him until now.

His hair came down from the high ponytail and the bed shifted under his weight, as he sat down - not close, but not far away from her either.

Leon wouldn't have any idea how utterly masculine he looked in that moment. Back leaned against the headboard, arms crossed over his chest and long legs crossed at the ankles on the mattress.

For the first time since Sora had been bound and thrown in this room, by her crazy friends, she couldn't summon her objections.

"Well?" his voice was deep, full of icy disdain.

Sora swallowed and crawled to him, finding it infinitely more difficult with the red ribbons limiting her movements.

Every inch brought her just a little closer to his face, to the heat of his body. It was her right to be shy and stop when only a breath away from his lips, right?

"Good," Leon murmured, tone slightly warmer and even lower than before. "Good girl."

She thought that he might as well have been praising a dog with the way that had sounded. Still, when his hand curled around the nape of her neck to unravel her bindings and he closed the distance by crashing his lips against hers, Sora didn't have much to protest.

The clock struck its long awaited hour but the ecstatic cheers didn't reach them in this secluded place.

_'Happy New Year!'_ Sora thought faintly, cupping Leon's jaw and whimpering in the heated kiss that tasted of fire and something distinctly him.

Not that she had ever kissed anyone else. It was just a logical assumption.

The rest of her bindings unraveled from around her, bringing the dress with them - just _how_ had they tied these strings again? - and leaving her almost naked.

Leon feathered his touch along the line of her jaw and murmured how he was going to enjoy his present very much, before kissing her again.

Sora decided that she was going to buy the girls a ton of chocolate the next time she saw them.

In the end she would repay them and still get the better deal!

**End**

* * *

**Sora:** That's it!? You made me into a damn puppy with ribbons and the works?

**Leon:** I didn't hear you complaining much...

**Sora:** I was talking to her. (Points towards _Rbk_)

**Me:** I just said you were a good girl. (Grumbles) _What?_ I don't get paid for this you know! Don't make me cut out on those romantic moments with Leon...

**Leon:** Now look at what you've done.

**Sora:** ...

* * *

I love how this idea came out...even if it was short somewhat. Challenges are like that sometimes. I suppose I shouldn't mention how much I'd love it if you reviewed...right?

Opinions. Reviews. Just push that button...the fandom is small anyway. You'll be doing me a favor.


	10. Ancient

This is an old one shot/drabble which should've been posted here a long time ago. But I think that my muses knew they'd take a break someday and left a small surprise behind just in case I took a writing break from this fandom. Here it is. xD

* * *

_Ancient_

* * *

The door creaked unpleasantly as she pushed it open, the sound old and rusty and disturbingly _loud_ in the creepy silence and she almost, almost, turned on her heel and fled back in the moonlit garden.

Which, by the way wasn't much of an improvement but at least she was quite positive that no twisted shadow had loomed over her. Sora spun to the right and clicked the flashlight into existence, caught between swearing that she had seen something glint just there and groaning as bright, neon pink light lit the cobweb filled corners.

Thank you May - the thought was positively _cheery_ and filled with murderous intentions.

Homicide with a hard object that reminded Sora of fuzzy bunnies. She should've known that there was something wrong with this picture ever since she had gotten the furry one of the lot.

The haunted house, the bet, May's jeers and Mia's helpless pleas for forgiveness as she was forced to join in.

Hinges creaked and the wind slammed down the door behind her with a loud bang.

Sora was sure that her heartfelt scream was able to wake up the dead. Well...hopefully not. Better not. Hell no. Because if anything came through the doors or windows in the next few minutes, she was going to make use of the old crow bar she had magically found behind the dusty armchair.

Of course, the good question would be what she was doing behind said chair right? Wrong. It was called survival instincts.

Her small hands tightened around the metal bar...but nothing happened. An owl hooted outside and flapped its wings noisily, the floor creaked and her eyes got used to the almost pitch dark in the house.

Sora swore that she had heard a low chuckle, actually she was sure that she had fairly felt it vibrate through her bones, but as nothing had come screeching at her demanding for her heart or blood - and nothing was crawling at feet level either - she let her overactive imagination shoulder most of the blame and shuffled, red faced and embarrassed by her unnecessary outburst, from behind the furniture.

Yo ho ho for Halloween right?

No...wait. Wasn't that what that Christmas character in red said so often? Without the Halloween part of course.

Visions of a 'Santa Claus' with a knife and bloody clothes flashed behind her half closed eyes before Sora had the time to convince her brain that it was currently scaring her heart into an early failure.

Damn those sick people who had created frightening movies. Didn't they know that someone like May could be born any minute? To think that girl was two years younger than her! Two years dammit and she had always managed to spook her out.

Well, Sora thought advancing bravely into the next room, at least she was wearing a Halloween costume behind the witch cloak she wore for effect. If one could call that indecent, skimpy little piece of scraped material - yes, she was positive that it had served as a towel in its former life - a piece of clothing.

She was halfway across the room, bravely facing the possibility of anything lurking beyond closed doors, when fire roared to life in the hearth...out of nowhere and with no warning whatsoever.

The muscles in her legs trembled and she released a few muffled curses for her too deeply ingrained reflexes, from gymnastics, before crawling out from behind the armchair. Again.

"I appreciate you dusting my floors but it's not really necessary..."

Sora gulped and slowly raised her eyes at the black clad figure standing in the doorway watching her surreptitiously...and told herself that she wasn't gaping. His hair was long, the color of moonbeams, and cascaded down his back and to his tailbone in thick, glossy waves that she would've loved to run her hands through.

He raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed hard, quickly standing up from her embarrassing position and straightening her clothes awkwardly. His eyes were a pretty violet - lighter than lilac and darker than persian indigo.

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding...do you by any chance live here?" She stuttered out shyly, feeling immensely silly with the way he looked at her. Just like that...

"Never mind," she mumbled to herself, unable to keep his eyes for very long, "if you show me the way to the door I'll let myself out and never bother you again."

She had herself a vicious dog called May to catch and strangle.

The stranger smiled down at her, roguish and melting her bones, and made a sweeping motion with his hand towards the burning fire. "No need, you have not bothered me at all. My sister and myself have just moved here and I was looking forward to some company."

His voice was rich and cultured and his eyes were warmly amused. "I was prepared for this tradition of trick or treat," tradition? He sounded so detached and even...stumbled a little over the words? "but I'm afraid I was expecting you to come through the door."

Sora had the distinct feeling that he was laughing at her. If she hadn't broken into _his house_ she might've fumed!

"My name is Leon Oswald..." _Leon_ extended his hand forward in an almost deliberate fashion and something in his eyes sparked hot. Or maybe it was just the fire and she was seeing things.

"Sora Naegino - please to meet you and," she shuffled her feet and winced, "don't let first impressions fool you. I don't usually break into people's houses...at all."

"Then I will presume the same of you," his upper lip curled in what might've been distaste as his eyes roamed the possible-but-not-really-living-room, "Neither Sophie nor myself have had time to clean things up yet. Perhaps, I could convince you to show me Kyoto instead of treating you to tea in this dusty, old mansion."

Her mind went blank.

"You don't plan to harm me or anything do you? I'm well versed in martial arts."

That was such a horrible lie it made her want to grimace. Had she really asked him such an utter stupidity? If this man had wanted to harm her, he could've done so a thousand times.

Whatever thoughts she had managed to gather, scattered to the four winds when Leon chuckled; shoulders shaking from restrained mirth. "Just call it repaying a debt since you seem to feel so contrite about this all."

Either he was clueless, Sora chewed on her lower lip, either that had been a brilliant stroke of genius. And he had a funny way of talking. It sounded so...ancient.

"Fine...you win." She skittered by him and almost had a heart attack when he smoothly turned on his heel and followed. "But if you try anything I will hit you. Hard. No joke."

It was bad enough that she had accepted to give a complete stranger a tour guide.

Leon acknowledged her words, with a bow of his head, and passed a hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face and revealing two elven shaped ears which Sora desperately told herself were fake and only for Halloween purposes.

Yes, yes, yes. Only fake. He was human!

Sora almost gave into her fears and asked him that but for some reason, when moonbeams hit his eyes and both of them stepped into the - surprisingly - flower filled garden, her panic dissipated; leaving in its wake only a content hum that brought a soft smile to her face.

"You know...I'm really surprised that the garden looks so good. I love flowers and these are so beautiful." Sora intoned softly, wondering where her earlier fright had suddenly gone. Why wasn't she panicking?

It almost felt like something she couldn't see was trying to reassure her.

Her companion gave her another of those half smiles and plucked a white orchid from its place before handing it to her. Sora took it with an unsure hand, wondering if she looked as flustered as she felt.

"My family has always been in close contact with nature."

And it positively glowed, Sora thought turning her head to look back at the myriad of pale flowers bathing in the moonbeams. She felt like she was leaving an ethereal area and she was surprised that she hadn't noticed anything on her way here.

She smiled at Leon even as the tall gate, surrounded by vines of red roses curled round and round against iron and marble, opened by its own accord to let them pass.

Why? Sora herself couldn't understand. Something serene and, if she dared think it, wild and free at the same time stopped her from feeling scared of these strange happenings.

The flowers hadn't been there when she had come but they bloomed beautifully under her very own eyes now. Almost like Leon's presence had created a living miracle...

_'Pointed ears, love for nature...if I didn't know better I could swear that he was not really human.'_

* * *

AU again...just how bored was I?

**Edit:** Sorry about this...accidental deletion I'm afraid. Need to be more careful. ;


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